Village Squire, 1980-10, Page 24DA YTR IPPING
Evelyn Hardy, left, of Goderich, convener of the Christmas Country
Fair since it began In 1965, and Judi Rupert of Goderich
BY ELAINE TOWNSHEND
It all started in 1965. Six ladies from
Colborne Township who had displayed
their crafts at the Art Mart in Goderich
decided to hold their own craft show
near Christmastime with a country
theme. They invited other local artists
to add variety; each craftsman paid S2
for an 8 -foot table to help cover
advertising costs and Western Ontario's
Christmas Country Fair was born.
Convener Evelyn Hardy and her
committee expected their "exper-
iment" to last only a year or two, but
after fifteen years, the Christmas
Country Fair is bigger and better than
ever.
In the early 1970s, the show outgrew
the small country hall at Carlow, just
northeast of Goderich, and moved to the
spacious Saltford Valley Hall in Saltford
a hamlet one-quarter mile north of
Goderich, just east of Highway 21. The
modern level hall provides easy access
and ample parking for everyone who
wants to attend the unique craft show.
Its growth is signified by the fact that it
now needs parking attendants.
The fair is unique because rather than
being backed by an organization, it is
operated entirely by exhibitors. Each
participant pays for space and most
donate a door prize. The craftsmen set
their own prices and retain their profits.
Mrs. Hardy of Goderich, formerly of
Colborne Township, is always searching
PG. 22 VILLAGE SQUIRE/OCTOBER 1980
This month Village Squire has two distinct day
trips -one to the area's only Christmas Country Fair and
another to Canada's biggest Oktoberfest right in our
own backyard.
Fresh baking and
75 different
craftsmen at the
Christmas
Country
Fair
for new crafts to keep the fair
diversified. She tries to inspect the work
or at least receive recommendations on
the craftsmen before inviting them to
take part. In January, she mails
invitations to selected artigts.
By May, she begins preparing a
brochure and has discovered distri-
bution of the brochure to local establish-
ments before summer often lures
tourists back to Saltford in the fall.
Annual fair visitors include a large
number from the U.S. and many, such
as a lady from Mooretown (near Sarnia), ,
always bring carloads of friends.
A CRAFT FOR EVERY TASTE
The 1980 Christmas Country Fair
expects approximately seventy-five
craftsmen and boasts "a craft for every
taste and every pocket." Regular
exhibits will include quilts, rugs -
braided and woven; stitchery - crewel,
crochet, embroidery, aprons; ceramics;
china painting; knit wear and knitted
toys; pottery; reproduction pine furn-
iture and jewellery of semi-precious
Stones; leathercraft; handspun nature
dyed yarns; iron implements - plain and
fancy; herbs and herb cookery and
paintings by local artists.
From the back of Saltford Valley Hall
the aroma of fresh homebaking and
lunches attracts Fair visitors. Bernice
Fisher has been baking convener for
thirteen years.
Twenty to twenty-five ladies, most
from Colborne Township, take part each
year. Three or four specialize in one
type of baking, such as bread and rolls,
but most bring a variety of goodies -
cakes, pies, squares, tarts, cookies,
muffins, fruit bread as well as jams,
jellies and other produce. The only
decrease in baked goods Mrs. Fisher
has noted is Christmas cake, and she
attributes the cut to increased cost of
ingredients.
HER OWN PRICES
Each lady packages her own baking
and sets her own price with the
understanding she will take home any
that isn't sold. That doesn't happen
often - there is seldom any baking left
by the end of the day. Mrs. Fisher
estimates the annual average gross
from baked goods at $1,800. Because
the fair is held on two days, Wednesday
and Saturday, fresh baking comes in for
each day.
Meals, catered by Saltford women
and offered at reasonable prices, are
especially appreciated by busloads of
visitors who may make reservations. In
addition, a lunch area is always open
selling sandwiches, pie, coffee and tea
providing a place for relaxation.
Special features at the 1980 Christ-
mas Country Fair include: Pewter
Holloware and Jewellery by Elva and
George Holm from "The Touchmark",
St. Marys; Country Calico Dolls by