Art in the Park showcases 230 vendors years ago
Staff writer
The 25th annual Art in the Park and Craft Show is slated for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in Marion's Central Park.
There is no admission charge. Visitors are encouraged to use the free parking at the baseball complex and at Marion Die and Fixture. They can ride shuttle buses provided by USD 408 to the park.
This year, there will be 230 vendors, "the maximum we take," according to Judy Christensen, general chairman of the festivities.
"We'll squeeze them in there pretty compact, at that," she said.
Christensen, chairman of the event for 10 to 12 years, said there will be artists and craftspersons exhibiting and offering their works for sale from about 10 states, including Kansas, Florida, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and South Dakota.
"We won't have quite as many patriotic items this time as one year ago, on the first anniversary of 9-11," Christensen said.
Unique, first-time-here events or offerings will include bird houses made by some individuals featured in a spread in Country Living magazine, and puppetry, a marionette show.
Also, hand-carved walking sticks and canes will be something new this year.
Christensen wasn't sure whether the banks made from post office box doors would be "here" this year.
Many of the artists and craftspeople will arrive on Friday. Marion police will patrol all during the night, too. "We pay for it," Christensen said.
Local Boy Scouts will help exhibitors set up and take down their wares. This is the only such festival in Kansas that has this sort of help from the Scouts.
Christensen said she has heard and received, "lots of compliments about the special things we do for exhibitors. They've said 'You act like you really care about us.'
"And we try to make it better each year," she added.
Christensen started the War Eagle Craft Show near Bentonville, Ark., and ran it for 18 years. It began as a small, one-day event in a pasture, and grew into a four-day event, "the biggest money-making event in Arkansas," she said.
The Hillsboro Arts & Crafts Fair, also Saturday, draws an estimated 60,000 visitors. Having the Marion show the same day "hasn't hurt Hillsboro," Christensen said.
"Having two shows in a 10-mile range draws even more people," she said. "It's a blessing for all concerned. It's good for Marion restaurants and some other businesses."
Having vendors set up the night before the event is a good thing, too, she said. There is less congestion that way.
Steve Hanson & Co., a duo from Salina, will perform at noon and again at 2 p.m. to entertain browsers, buyers, and strollers.
Ten $20 gift certificates, good for use at any booth during the final hour of the fair, will be given away at 4 p.m. Winners must be present.
There will be lots of jewelry, limestone and metal art, homemade food items, soaps, candles, baskets, clothing, pet items, horseshoe artwork, some patriotic items, furniture, and photography.
A large food court will be in full swing all day, selling a variety of treats and other items. All food vendors are local businesses or non-profit groups.
