City readies for Arts and Crafts
More than 40,000 visitors, 400 craft booths expected at annual event
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
Lace up your walking shoes and break out your credit cards.
It's time for the Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair.
This Saturday, tens of thousands will descend upon Hillsboro to attend the yearly event, which will also draw 400 craft exhibitors and approximately 40 local food booths.
This year's fair should draw at least 40,000 people, said Carol Breese, publicity director for the Arts and Crafts Association.
"If the streets are jammed, you know it's a good crowd," Breese said.
2002 is the 34th year that the fair has been in existence, Breese said. She estimates that she's the only original board member still taking an active part with the fair.
Thirteen states will be represented among the craft vendors, with sellers from places like North Dakota, Tennessee, and Chicago. But local craftspeople will also be selling their wares at the event, Breese said.
Every possible craft and art item should be available Saturday, ranging from woodworking to dried floral arrangements to fine art paintings.
"Anything in the world you can think of is here," Breese said.
Clothes have increased in popularity recently, and Christmas decorations are always a huge draw too.
Craft booths will blanket the central part of the town as city officials close off sections of Main and Grand. On Main, no traffic will be allowed between the Post Office and B Street. On Grand, traffic will be blocked off from Ash to Lincoln.
Streets will be barricaded off Friday evening, said City Administrator Steve Garrett.
In preparation for the event, city crews have been busy making the city look its best, sweeping streets, putting a fresh coat of paint on curbs, and trimming stray limbs.
"We're putting our 'makeup' on," Garrett said.
But don't just come for the craft booths — come for the food too.
Numerous local civic and church groups will be selling homemade goods for your taste buds to enjoy, with lots of traditional German favorites such as bierocks and homemade noodles.
And don't forget the meat that's made Hillsboro famous: sausage. It'll be sold in copious amounts, Breese said.
"They sell hundreds of pounds," she said. "People have flown home with sausage."
One change in this year's fair affects the exhibitors more than the visitors. For the first time, exhibitor's have had their information packets mailed to them, so no more waiting in long lines in the dead of night to get them.
They can also start setting up earlier this year — by 8 p.m. Friday evening, if they want. Volunteers will be at the chamber office until 10 p.m. to answer any questions.
Craft booths will have their spaces marked on the sidewalk or street by Friday afternoon.
One thing that will definitely be a hot commodity is parking. For those unable to crowd onto the surrounding streets, the county fairgrounds will be available for parking. A shuttle bus will run back and forth from the fairgrounds to the fair all day long, Breese said.
The Arts and Crafts fair has definitely grown since its first year in the late-1960s.
That first fair had around 50 to 80 exhibitors, Breese said. Now, the Arts and Crafts Association has to turn away exhibitors in order to keep the number under 400.
The crowd is usually biggest in the morning, but don't fear that the booths will sell out by afternoon — most bring plenty of goods to last them all day, Breese said.
"It's just a good family day," she said.
