Belmont kicks off the holiday season with a craft fair encouraging city residents and neighboring communities to join in.
On Nov. 18, Belmont hosted its annual Holiday Craft Faire where vendors sell the arts and crafts that they have made.
“The purpose of the event is to kick off the holidays for Belmont and our neighboring communities,” said Belmont City Hall worker Cheri Handley. “We have 80 vendor spaces at full capacity with all of their hand-made items.”
The Belmont Craft Faire is one of the several events that many vendors attend.
“I prepare and do other events like this all year round. I pick up other techniques from other people as well and learn from them,” said craft fair vendor Nancy Casacca. “I also do other things like tie quilts for the homeless because I do this for charity as well.”
The fair has increased in size over the years.
“The event has been going on for over 30 years,” said Handley. “It started out as a small event in the Twin Pines Lodge, and then after the Senior and Community Center was built, we then expanded to those two buildings.”
With the fair’s size increase comes the need for an increased number of volunteers, and some independent organizations help provide volunteers for this event.
One organization is a non-profit called “Voices” which provides aid to service projects all over Belmont.
“I am here volunteering because I am with a group called Voices that meets in the Belmont library, and they gave me an opportunity to volunteer at this event,” said Voices volunteer Felix Chen, a senior at Carlmont.
This Belmont event provides an opportunity for other individuals to get together as a community.
“This event is a unique opportunity for people to either shop for themselves, shop for holiday gifts, or just to come out and get out of their house and enjoy the company of others,” said Handley.
