Crafted with Love
As the sun rises above Albuquerque, you can hear the quiet hum of conversation among booths decorated with red and green. This is the start of a wonderful tradition here in Albuquerque: craft fairs! This wonderful experience helps local artisans showcase their homemade crafts by giving them a platform where they are able to showcase their artwork without a high price.
While not commonly known, these fairs are a staple during the holiday season. But what are craft fairs? Craft fairs today are defined as an event where people sell decorations made by hand. These fairs first originated in the United States, with the idea developing from traders who sold their wares. The first one was held in Berkshire Country, Massachusetts in 1811. They were originally agricultural events where farmers showed their livestock and produce. Over time, craft fairs adapted and became more than just about agriculture, and gained popularity during the 19th century and have since become a winter staple. They didn’t start in New Mexico until 1922. Modern day craft fairs include hand made items such as sweaters, embroidered tea towels, etc.
Shoppers have a very important role in the atmosphere of the craft fair and supporting the small businesses. Shoppers are invited normally five minutes before the fair is said to open. The beginning is busy with shoppers flooding in. Not only do you get immersed in culture, but you often have conversations with most of the artisans, the most common topics being about their artwork and how long it takes them to create their masterpieces. Going to a craft fair is an amazing experience overall and is a good way to get into the holiday season this year.
If you want to participate as a customer, you can attend any upcoming craft fair. Craft fairs start around the winter holiday, with some taking place as early as late October and continuing throughout the early weeks of December. If you are interested in attending a local craft fair, you can follow the schedule online. This is a wonderful, low commitment experience and is a great way to support local artisans.
It is a very different experience from the other side of the booth. While doors don’t open until nine to customers, the day begins two hours before the fair starts for most artisans as they organize their stands and decorate their tables. The beginning of the day is busy for sellers as they converse with customers and try to attract shoppers to look at their art. The day has little to no breaks, and the artisans are on their feet for most of the day. Speaking from my own experience, it is unique and fun to participate as a seller. If you are interested in participating as a merchant, you can pay for one or two 4×6 spaces for your booth. Tables are not provided, but they don’t need to be fancy. Typical pricing for a 4×6 booth is $40 bucks. If you want to expand, you can get two spaces for $70. All money typically goes to support the place that the fair is being held in.
These craft fairs have become extremely popular and hold cultural significance such as the preservation of creativity. Craft fairs also help educate and inspire shoppers through demonstrations and the artisans’ understanding of techniques. Craft fairs also help foster connections within the community by bringing people together from different backgrounds as they explore different art pieces. So, whether you are looking at homemade goods or standing behind a booth, craft fairs hold cultural significance and are a great source of joy this holiday season.
