The Arcola Craft and Trade Show welcomed hundreds of shoppers this weekend, filling the hall with vendors, families, and plenty of community spirit.
Organizer Gwen Taylor said she was thrilled with the response from both vendors and the public. “Today we have 77 vendors, and I am so pleased with that. They are happy, lots of people coming through to shop, so I am really happy with it,” she said.
The event got off to a rocky start when a morning storm caused a major downpour and knocked out power for more than an hour. “We lost power for an hour and a half, so we could not let any of the vendors in until 20 to 11:00 am,” Taylor explained. “It was a little stressful, but it worked out in the end.”
Shoppers waited outside for the doors to open, eager to see the wide variety of booths. This year’s lineup included clothing, woodwork, Scentsy products, handmade crafts, and food vendors. Taylor, who has organized the event for the past 15 years, announced that this year was her last, adding that she was proud to step down with such strong community support.
The show also featured a special attraction for young families. Recreation director Vanessa Dahl explained that the free KidZone has quickly become a highlight of the weekend. “We have a kid zone from 11:00 am till 2:00 pm, and parents can go shopping at the trade show, and kids can come over here and play,” she said. “We have bouncers, face painting, bracelet making, games, arcade basketball, and inflatable soccer. It has been really steady, really busy actually.”
This was the third year for the KidZone, which Dahl said continues to grow each year. With plenty of activities for children and a packed venue of vendors, the trade show once again showed the strong support Arcola and the area have for community events.