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‘Sense of community’ at 43rd annual Christmas market in Sparwood

Over 40 vendors attended the event on Nov. 18, 2022

Christmas shoppers had a chance to buy their gifts early this year at the 43rd annual Craft and Small Business Fair in Sparwood on Friday (Nov. 18).

The market was held at the Henry Volkmann Memorial Leisure Complex from 1 to 8 p.m., and was put on by the Sparwood and District Arts and Heritage Council.

Rose Sharma, organizer for the market, said there were over 40 vendors taking up two floors of the complex, both from Sparwood and coming in from surrounding regions in the East Kootenays and Alberta.

“I think it’s going pretty good,” she said.

“People wait to come to this craft fair because they can do their Christmas shopping, something you don’t buy in the stores.”

She said the items are handmade and out-of-the-ordinary.

Wares on sale included household cleaning items, homemade creams, soaps, paintings, jams, jellies, jewelries, calendars, cards, chocolates, mugs, and more.

“People have created it, and it’s a lot of love involved in it, making all those things.”

One of the vendors was Hatima Vogel of Hatima’s Homemade Table Napkins, who, as her business name suggests, was selling colourfully decorated napkins she made herself.

“They’re just Christmas decorative and they’re very nice for your table,” she said.

“They look really elegant once you decorate with cutlery and everything.”

Vogel was selling her napkins along with bonnets made of satin and silk, with her young child HumaiR in her arms.

“We’re at the craft fair, we’re enjoying,” she said, adding that she also sells at the mall on Thursday.

Crystal Monteith, another vendor, came in from the Crowsnest Pass to sell her custom-designed cups, with fun and joke-offensive slogans on them.

“It’s been really good, it’s nice to see people out and about and being around each other,” she said.

“Like a sense of community.”

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josh.fischlin@thefreepress.ca

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