Shipshewana
Crafter’s Fair
October 4 - 6
by Dan Byler
The 12th Annual Shipshewana’s
Fall Crafters Fair kicks off with more crafters
and entertainment than ever before on Thursday, October 4th.
This three day event has steadily
been growing over the last twelve
years, but according to coordinator
Chuck Wray, this year is the biggest
jump they have ever seen as far as the
number of crafters participating. Last
year they had set a record for most ever
crafters when seventy-five individuals
participated. This year, there will be
over one hundred crafters showing off
their wares in four large tents scattered
across the Riegsecker Marketplace
grounds.
The large main tents housing
crafters including basket-weavers,
woodcrafters, candle makers, potters,
painters, food preservers and much
more are all on the northwest corner
of the junction of State Road 5 and
Middlebury Street, directly west across
State Road 5 from the Blue Gate Restaurant. Riegseckers will have a pulled
pork sandwich area, and additional
outside food vendors set up in this area
offering everything from pretzels and
fry pies, to homemade seasonal foods,
such as pumpkin pie, hot apple dumplings and hot cider.
The parking lot on the southwest
corner of State Road 5 and Middlebury
Street will have several animal exhibits
and demonstration areas. New for this
year will be an entertainment venue
in the grassy area to the south of these
demonstrations.
Wray remarked, “We hope to
eventually fill in the entire area from
where we are now, all the way down to
the Pavilion at the Trading Place. They
will have some crafters in the pavilion
on Saturday along with their regular
farmers market. We hope to eventually have Yoder’s Shopping Center join
Photos by Melody DuVal
The Hometown Treasure · October ‘12 · pg 41