CHIMACUM — The 29th annual Chimacum Arts and Crafts Fair will present the wares of nearly 100 vendors from throughout Washington this weekend.
The vendors will sell handmade items, many unique.
“Almost everything here is handmade,” said Danny Milholland, the event coordinator.
“If you want to give gifts that are made with love, that support and directly benefit the community, you should buy here,” he said.
“You aren’t going to find any of these items in Silverdale.”
The fair will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Sunday in several rooms at Chimacum High School, 91 West Valley Road. Admission will be $3.
Christmas ornaments
Among the vendor items will be Christmas ornaments made by the district’s Life Skills program.
Nine developmentally delayed students have mass-produced about 500 ornaments.
Everything is made by students, with guidance, according to teacher Ann Abraham.
The price of the individual ornaments had not yet been decided earlier this week, but Abraham said she would like to raise at least $300 to support class programs.
Proceeds divided
Fair admission proceeds will be divided evenly among the Chimacum School District, the Quilcene Booster Club and the Port Townsend High School Students for Sustainability.
“We typically raise around $12,000 through the production of this event,” said Cammi Brown, a member of the Chimacum School Board.
“Over the past 29 years, the fair has raised over $200,000 for the Chimacum School District.”
The Students for Sustainability are allocating a portion of their proceeds to support their mission to mitigate climate change at their school, in their community and at a national level.
The Quilcene boosters do their part to spread the word and in turn use their funds to support Quilcene students in a variety of ways.
Chimacum’s portion of the proceeds is combined with other money raised at the event and goes to support many school groups and programs.
Community portrait
Milholland is most excited about the first Chimacum Community Portrait to commemorate the school’s centennial, to be taken at 9:45 a.m. today at the school.
Participants are asked to arrive 15 minutes early for free coffee and doughnuts.
Photographer David Conklin will take the photo from an East Jefferson Fire-Rescue ladder truck.
The posters will be available for $10 at the Chimacum Corner Farm Stand, 9122 Rhody Drive.
Anyone from any location is invited to be in the picture.
Milholland would like to see 500 people participate but plans to print only about 40 copies of the poster.
“We want to see how this goes,” he said. “If we sell out, we can order more.”
Chimacum School is heavily involved in the fair’s production.
This year, the Chimacum cheer squad will have a gift-wrapping booth, the senior class will sell See’s candy, the Pi Program will sell Christmas cards, the Interact Club will host photos with Santa and the basketball team will help vendors load in and out of the fair.
The Drama Club will run the concessions stand, serving homemade hot chocolate, hot apple cider, farm-fresh soup, Mt. Townsend Cheese, Pane d’Amore bread and a variety of other items.
“There are so many cool craft items with multiple people selling all kinds of crafts,” said Lori Bailey of Quilcene, who has participated as part of the 4-H booth for five years.
“There are many unique items that you can’t see anywhere else, and you can always find something special.”
For more information, go to www.chimacumarts.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
