Holiday shoppers looking to get a head start, and others looking to find deals as artisans wrap up their craft show season, came out for the 33rd Annual Herkimer County Arts and Crafts Fair, held this weekend on the campus of Herkimer County Community College.
The juried fair, as always, attracted more than 100 exhibitors from throughout the Northeast, exhibitors with a diverse array of arts and crafts that included jewelry, pottery, handcrafted soap, metal and wood work and stained glass.
Vendors like Dan Duggan of Red Creek have been returning to the fair for a number of years.
“It’s a good show, and I always have a good time when I come here,” said Duggan, who has been attending the Herkimer County Arts and Crafts Fair for 10 years. “I enjoy playing music for people, and shows like this are a great venue. Plus it adds to the overall atmosphere.”
Duggan performs his hammered dulcimer music throughout Central New York and was selling copies of his various CDs at the fair.
“This is a mild year for the show,” he said Saturday. “I can remember years when the snow was already on the ground and the wind was whipping on the hill. I will certainly take this kind of weather over that kind. I’m sure the shoppers would second my opinion.”
Jule Cooper on Boonville is another vendor who continues to return to the fair year after year.
“I actually just did a show in Texas, so I flew back here to be part of this year’s show,” she said.
Cooper operates Jule’s Needles and Woods and hand-spins articles of clothing using different kinds of fibers.
“I can spin just about anything,” she said. “Wool, alpaca fleeces, dog hair, cat hair, yak hair — I use it all.”
Chittenango artist David Allen followed the lead of artists by demonstrating his craft for shoppers.
“It gives me something to do as people pass by,” he said as he painted a landscape. “And it gives people something to look at.”
Allen said his attendance at last year’s fair proved to be successful, so he decided to return for a second time.
“I sold a good number of paintings here last year, so I decided to come back,” he said. “And I enjoy seeing other people’s creations.”
Scuteri’s Cannoli Connection was a first-time attendee of the Herkimer County Arts and Crafts Fair.
“We’ve attended shows in Albany, New York City, Syracuse and Utica,” said owner Vincent Scuteri. “When we looked at our schedule, we saw that we have been to the east and west of here, so we decided to bring our cannoli here. Plus this is a good area for Italian pastries.”
Scuteri’s Cannoli Connection has been serving fresh filled cannoli and Italian pastries in Watkins Glen since 1971.
“I’ve been to places where people did not know what a cannoli is, so to come to an area like this makes sense,” he said. “My family has been making cannoli for more than 30 years, and we are proud to share our original cream. Our cannoli are always filled fresh.”
The Herkimer County Arts & Crafts Fair is sponsored by the Herkimer County College Foundation, and is the Foundation’s single most profitable fundraiser of the year. Proceeds benefit student scholarships at HCCC. The Foundation awards more than $130,000 in scholarships each year, including full tuition scholarships to the top 15 percent of all Herkimer County graduating high school seniors for their first year at Herkimer.
“This annual event has made it possible to award many scholarships to deserving students,” said Chairperson Jean Stapleton. “On behalf of the Foundation, I thank the public for their continued loyal support of our craft fair.”
Herkimer, N.Y. —
