Church Fair In Redding This Weekend

REDDING — Members of the First Church of Christ, Congregational are hoping for clear skies and steady crowds on Saturday, September 29, for the 31st annual Arts & Crafts Fair on the Redding Green. The free event will run from 10 am until 4:30 pm, rain or shine.

Visitors will have much to enjoy at this old-fashioned fair, including shopping for beautiful handcrafted items by more than 30 artisans, eating delicious homemade apple pie and “congregational soup,” and perusing the many items in the all-church tag sale.

New this year will be handcrafted items from The Al-Kahf (“The Cave”) Gift Shop located in Bethlehem. The shop is part of a group of Lutheran-based, ecumenically oriented institutions serving the whole Palestinian community, with an emphasis on children, youth, women, and elders.

The Cave Arts & Crafts Center strives to help local artists and preserve traditional arts and crafts by offering courses, improving access to materials and equipment, and providing a market for the sale of art items. Since so many of the artists are women, there is an added benefit of helping women to have some financial independence, which is a rare thing in a patriarchal society such as Palestine’s. Among the items for sale will be olive wood Christmas ornaments and pottery and stained glass items.

Performing at the fair for the first time will be Redding’s own Yippee Coyote, with the first of two sets starting at 1 pm. With guitars, banjo, harmonica, drums and percussion, male/female lead vocals and tight harmonies, Yippee Coyote’s sound moves between being sweet, dark, silly, and rootsy. The group blends original tunes with unusual covers borrowed from artists who have influenced them, such as Old Crow Medicine Show, Justin Townes Earle, Gillian Welch, etc.

Children can enjoy painting a pumpkin, face painting, and a variety of children’s games, geared to celebrate multiple winners. Entertainers including a juggler and balloon animal “magician” will also be roaming the grounds.

Tickets for a stunning handmade quilt will be offered for $3 each, or six for $15. The quilt was made by congregants over the course of the year and carries a value to $950.

A variety of food booths will offer hot dogs and hamburgers, pulled pork sandwiches, homemade fudge, apple pie and baked goods.

Proceeds raised at the event support the church’s various local and global outreach programs such as local food pantries, Habitat for Humanity, homeless shelters, and disaster relief efforts.

For more information visit www.FirstChurchRedding.org or call the church office at 203-938-2004. Parking is available at Redding Elementary School with shuttle bus service to the church.