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Date: 11/4/2020
AGAWAM – A former Agawam resident is working to bring together crafters and entrepreneurs for a small vendor fair that will allow residents to do holiday shopping despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Kelsey Williams, who lives and teaches in Boston now, said the upcoming craft fair will consist of a handful of crafters and small business owners that are local to Western Massachusetts. She said she was inspired to put together the vendor fair after participating in one in Enfield, CT., not too long ago. She said after some consideration, she decided to host one herself.
“I decided to put together one myself. I have a ton of local small business friends who didn’t get a chance to do any craft fairs,” she said. “I wanted to give people a chance to sell. The legit ones were canceled because there’s so many people you can’t do it safely.”
The craft fair will take place on Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 170 Meadowbrook Rd. In Agawam. She said on the day of the fair, more than a dozen of local crafters and business owners, including herself, will be set up at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Items being sold at the fair include jewelry, custom tumbler cups, tie dye clothing, custom keychains, masks, drink coasters, knitted winter apparel, hand drawn and painted artwork, baked goods, handmade body soaps and scrubs, Christmas ornaments and a variety of home decor. She said the fair will be a “perfect place for Christmas gifts.”
She said in addition to providing residents with a place to purchase holiday gifts, it also allows for vendors to gain experience. “A lot of the people I reached out to are either my age or in college still, not all, but the majority are 18 to 25. A lot of people said they had never participated in a craft fair before,” she said. “It lets us get used to it and know how to do a craft fair successfully. A lot of us know each other, or know each other through other crafters. It’s exciting because we’re in the same community. It’s not like we’re competing because we all sell different things.”
She said while the previous craft fair she participated in had a good turnout, she’s hoping that the upcoming fair will be even more successful. While attending the craft fair, she said customers will be asked to wear masks and vendors will be spaced more than six feet apart. The fair, she said, will take place across several different yards, allowing for adequate social distancing.
“Because it’s spread out, customers will be able to spread out safely. Baked goods will be baked in a professional kitchen and individually wrapped,” she said.
Additionally, she said there will be plenty of space for parking. Those who may have questions about the fair or specific items being sold can contact Williams by messaging her craft account @craftsbykels_ on Instagram.