Arts and Crafts Shows Near Me Inspired By People “Who Do”

Accompany me to the Southern Vermont Arts and Crafts Shows near me this weekend. Let’s start this fall season out right with what we do best: embrace the beauty and the nature of creativity and get inspired by people “who do” along the way.

Do you enjoy going to arts and crafts shows near you? I thought I’d share a few of the local arts and crafts shows near me with you this fall season, starting with this festival this past weekend here in Vermont.

September Thunderstorms

I’ve mentioned that recently, the weather here has been very humid and swampy, which is causing some severe thunderstorms and winds to roll in.

And unfortunately, this little arts and crafts show near me got hit hard on Friday night by some of those disturbances. Many of the craft vendor’s pop-up tents collapsed and actually blew away. The festival had to transform the dining tent into a place for the vendors to reside for the overall weekend. Yikes!

Southern Vermont Arts and Crafts Shows Near Me

Parking and Fees

We arrived early on Saturday morning upon the show’s 10:00 a.m. opening in an effort to avoid the afternoon heat and upcoming forecasted thunderstorms.

Parking was free, and it was a short walk to the arts and crafts show held at the Riley Hockey Rink’s field in Manchester, Vermont, where boots were now a must.

It was $10 per person to attend, but because of the rain, the fee was discounted to $7.00, with proceeds and donations going to Habitat for Humanity.

Inspired by People “Who Do”

What I love about attending arts and crafts shows near me is meeting all the friendly vendors and visitors who bring creativity and diversity to our local communities. A smile and a hello go a long way to embolden us all.

Spirit of Sky Drums

“Spirit of Sky Drums” was the first vendor in the lineup, with the sounds of authentic African drums, which inspired children and adult classes alike—known for their natural rhythm within each of us, as natural as our own heartbeat, they would say.

Clinton Pottery

Next, I swooned over the handmade “Clinton Pottery“.

The earthy color tones and unique styles were just fabulous.

My favorites were the spaghetti and berry strainers.

You may also enjoy the Order of the Eastern Star Amidst This Vintage Market Haul post.

I chatted with a few ladies surrounding this booth about how wonderful having a skill like this would be. And we all agreed on a lot of patience, too!

Ardent Flame Candles

A friendly chat with my friends over at Ardent Flame Candles, now known as Vermont’s premier candle company out of Bennington, Vermont. They are so proud of their natural soy candles and products.

See what I mean? Doesn’t this make you smile and want to make you head out to your local arts and crafts shows?

I like to make a point to say hello to all the vendors that I can. They are hard-working folks and appreciate your smile and gratitude so much.

Fleur De Lise Beads & Boutique

The owner at Fleur De Lise Beads & Boutique and I laughed together about how her booth’s mannequin wardrobe reminded us of an ensemble that Carrie Bradshaw from the series “Sex in the City” would have worn back in the day. And her matching booth’s bouquet of flowers was the icing on the cake.

I wished I was tall and thin enough to wear such a wardrobe selection, and she wished the same. It was so nice connecting with a stranger over something that so many of us have in common…

You may also enjoy the Best Barn Finds in a Big Red Barn on a Sunday Foliage Drive post.

The Quilted Jardin

This darling woman, Martha of “The Quilted Jardin,” created custom quilts from photos of pets. The quilts were endearing, and her attention to the details was special. She could make you one in a weekend, but she preferred to take a bit longer to make each piece as special as your pet.

Kitunga Fashion

The most colorful and eye-catching vendor of all was Kitunga Fashion out of Saratoga, NY, who makes these beautiful bags out of Raffia.

I would have liked to have lingered a bit longer here, but she was so busy, and I could absolutely understand why. She and her mother handmade all the bags, and they were stunning in all their nature.

Deena Howard | DVanV ARTWORKS

Lastly, I’d like to introduce you to Deena of DHoward ART. I loved her paintings, finding them real with a bit of whimsy. She came up to me and said, “I paint as a hobby, and they’re all cheap, I’ve even been known to give some away.” My kind of gal, haha.

Then we got to chatting. Deena paints out of her small Vermont apartment and travels the world alone! She had just returned from Alaska, where she hiked solo with the black bears. She’s been to Africa dozens of times and marveled among the animals. Now I understand why I enjoyed her paintings so much.

She lives in the town where I went to college, and her sister was the Dean’s executive assistant when I was in school there in the early 80’s at Green Mountain College. Which unfortunately no longer exists.

I bought two of Deena’s paintings for our newly wallpapered guest bedroom. The first one is pictured here, with the ice skating pond. She told me she started painting it from ballroom dancers she had seen in Europe and transformed it into a Vermont winter ice skating scene.

I also adored the bottom right-hand painting of the red barns, but I wasn’t loving the frame it was in, and she revealed to me that it was actually a Connecticut landscape. So, I quickly settled back to the vintage framed winter ice skating scene for $60.

Did I mention that Deena started painting just two years ago?

You may also enjoy the Cottage Core Inspired by 3 Days Glamping in the Adirondacks post.

And Deena’s adorable framed “otter in winter” painting, inspired by her trip to Alaska, came home with me, too, for just $10.

Here are Deena’s paintings now arranged in the corner of our Vermont guest bedroom that I’m currently working on transforming into the look of an old country inn. See more in the post, 3 Wallpaper Bedroom Designs Emblematic of a Cozy Vermont Inn.

You may also enjoy the Step Up Your Home Decor Style with a Vintage Cobbler Rack and Meet My Ol’ Gal, Miss Mannequin Dress Form posts.

Enjoy the Fall Decor 2023 Trailblazing in Blue and White post, see the 5 must-haves, and why creating first and consuming second is this year’s fall trend.

This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Like the little unique flower vases? They are made from oil lamps; learn more about How to Repurpose an Oil Lamp into a Unique Flowers Vase here.

Upcoming Arts and Crafts Shows Near Me

If you are local to New England or simply visiting, here are a few of my favorite upcoming arts and crafts shows near me this fall. I wouldn’t dream of missing any. Will you be attending any?

Vintage Bazaar New England is the first upcoming vintage market near me, all vintage-inspired.

Then, over Columbus Day | Indigenous Day weekend, an all-time favorite close to home, Vintage Market Days Vermont.

9/11 Remembrance Hike

Yesterday, I took a hike through one of my favorite local spots, Equinox Preserve, in remembrance of 9/11. It was the first of the fall hikes and views, with the foliage just starting to change.

I’ll be sharing a notable number of Vermont fall foliage views this season, so be sure to follow along. It’s the most beautiful time of the year here in New England.

Ella really wanted to join me on the hike, but she still has four weeks to go in her cast/splint and another four weeks of rest before she can return to her normal activities.

You may also enjoy the Country Estate Sale Near Me This Weekend post.