Crafty Shoppers Find Artful Presents At Sale 19th Annual Event At Interstate Fairgrounds Features 219 Booths

Dozens of wooden ducks and geese flew above the crowd of bargain hunters at the 19th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts sale.

One here, two there - almost everyone had a backyard weather station, or so it seemed.

“It’s all you can see in the aisles, bobbing up and down because you can’t hide them in bags,” said Buffy Nichols. She and her husband, Mark, of Sandpoint, were responsible for the flocks of wooden fowl.

Thousands of holiday shoppers worked their way through two buildings at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds on Saturday looking for Christmas gifts and decorations for their homes.

“Anyone that’s in here is here to spend money,” Buffy Nichols said.

She would know. Several had spent money on her weather stations, which featured wooden ducks or geese on a tall, varnished stick. The stick is marked to measure snow depth, equipped with a thermometer and also has a cup to measure rainfall.

“Here’s what all of these people are carrying,” said one man when he finally found the Nichols’ stand in the middle of the main building. He had to admire them from a distance, however, as customers ringed Nichols’ booth to snatch the few remaining weather stations.

“You do as much as you think you can do and if you’re out, you’re out,” Nichols said.

Though the weather stations were popular, they were not the only hit at the three-day show. Wreaths, stuffed Santa Clauses, clothes, handbags, jewelry, ceramic dishes and Christmas decorations were also available at several of the 219 booths.

Sheri Sadone of Spokane didn’t get enough the first day. Saturday, Sadone was back with Debra Bartness, her sister. Bartness was not supposed to get to Spokane until today, but left her home in northern California a day early so she could hunt for Christmas gifts at the craft show.

“It’s more personal,” Bartness said, juggling a handful of bags. “You can get your name on it,” she continued, displaying a Santa Claus stop sign.

Sadone and a handful of friends took Friday off from work to attend the first day.

“It’s an annual thing,” Sadone explained. This year was her sixth visit to the craft show.

Shoppers are not the only ones who make the show an annual event. Merchants paid $120 for a space to set up their booths.

“This show is always fantastic,” said Diana Parker, owner of Patches and Paintbrushes in McCall, Idaho.

Parker, who was back for her seventh show, sold wall hangings, figurines and magnets painted for Christmas.

“It’s a hard one to get into. We applied for a few years to get into it,” added fourth-year seller, Douglass Smith.

The craft show continues today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

, DataTimes