by Kelsey Curtis ('27)
Each year, Houghton University holds a Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair in the final weeks of the fall semester. Vendors from surrounding areas will share their crafts in the Reinhold Campus Center (CC) next Friday.
Although the University Community Engagement Center sponsors the event, student interns help organize it. This year’s interns include Rileigh Studley ‘25, Marjorie Gassler ‘25 and Lilly Turner ‘25.
Studley and Gassler highlighted a few changes to the fair from past years. First, Studley shared that student artists will be playing live music from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Although it is a small change, Studley believes it “will provide some extra holiday cheer for the craft fair.”
Gassler emphasized a large change to the craft sale’s layout. She shared that in past years, to accommodate more vendors, some tables were placed in the CC basement. But unfortunately, they got a lot less traffic because not everyone realized there were more booths downstairs. This year, all vendors will be on the first floor of the CC so that everyone has an equal chance to see more customers.
Gassler and Studley expressed excitement for the event, not only as planners but also as participants. Both agreed that the fair is a great way of bringing the community together, especially “to get local artists connected with students,” said Gassler.
Studley added that it provides a way for “our student body to support local businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Gassler reflected that helping plan the fair was useful because it “is a great way for me to apply what I have learned in my interpersonal and organizational communication and social media marketing coursework.”
As students attending the fair, they are excited about different aspects of it.
Studley said she looks forward to “listening to the Christmas music playing, sipping on a hot chocolate, and walking around looking at all of the cool products people have made!”
Gassler finds the fair is a great place to do Christmas shopping and loves supporting local artists and other students.
This year, over 50 vendors are participating in the fair. A vast variety of crafts will be sold “from baked goods to jewelry, to art, to alpaca socks” and “from pottery to baklava to goat’s milk skincare products.”
Studley said it is their “hope that there will be something for everyone!”
There will also be some student vendors located in the Encore Suite. Hannah Fish ‘27 will be a student vendor and expressed her excitement for the event. Fish began making ceramics in her senior year of high school and is excited to share what she’s made. She will sell mugs, garden planters, jewelry platters, “juice-box cups” and more.
Fish also participated in the Harvestival Craft Sale this Fall, which was her first time having a table alone. She said that she was initially nervous, but “everyone [was] so supportive, excited, and curious” that it was hard to be anxious during the sale.
“I’m making things I enjoy making,” Fish shared, “and I love Christmas and gift-giving so the fair helps me share unique handmade gifts, and I get to buy some too!”
She hopes to continue participating in craft sales like those at HU.
The Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ★
