Both sales offered up unique, handmade goods for the benefit of local cultural institutions

By Kinsey Gade

The Harriet Alexander Nature Center held its annual Holiday Craft Fair Dec. 6-7, drawing hundreds of visitors to Roseville City Hall.

The fair hosted 53 vendors selling a wide variety of goods, including jewelry, pottery, soap, baked and canned goods and crafts. Vendor’s fees for participating help support HANC.

The fair started in 2004 and was initially held at HANC, but moved to City Hall in 2009 after the gradual growth of the event, according to Deon Haider, recreational program supervisor at the Harriet Alexander Nature Center. Although the move to the city hall provides more space, the fair still regularly has a waiting list for vendors.

“They come back to help support our programs,” Haider said. “We do a lot of youth and adult field trips, we have lots of programs, and it helps keep our costs low and maintain our naturalist staff here.” 

The Roseville Historical Society, located on the lower level of City Hall, also participated in the sale with its 11th annual fundraiser. RHS members provided jams, canned goods, antique items and baked goods for their sale.

Sharon Pillen, RHS heritage director, said she spends the entire year prepping the canned goods and bakery for the event. One of the most popular items of their annual sale is her gingerbread, a recipe that came from her German grandmother.

Pillen came up with the idea of starting a fundraising sale after a meeting regarding the Historical Society’s need for a building or space, hoping to move their artifacts out of storage.

“I thought, each [RHS member] has a skill or a liking, a hobby,” Pillen said. “And then everyone started to make different crafts that they did for fun for the sale.”

This year, RHS raised $5,676.32, which maintains their monthly expenses, maintains artifacts, preserves local history, provides genealogical research and community resources.