The FHN Craft Fair is back thanks to the efforts of the Band Boosters. With over 100 vendors signed up, and counting, the fundraising has amounted to over $7,000 so far. It will take place on November 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature band students playing live Christmas music and working as volunteers. Additionally, there will be food trucks, a bake sale and a raffle table. With all of these features, the revival of this event comes with a lot of behind the scenes work and effort.
“This is a larger scale,” band director Ryan Curtis said. “A lot of our other fundraisers are working individually to make money, whether that’s at the Family Arena or doing a mattress fundraiser. This is a different type of fundraiser that we don’t have a lot of opportunities to participate in, but it works for us this year.”
This craft fair will also be the first one to take place in the new Francis Howell North. Previously, it has been hosted at Francis Howell Middle School. The change of scenery is an advantage for the craft fair committee, making it easier to take measurements and make a floor plan for the placement of vendors.
“It’s much easier because it’s a space that we’re more familiar with,” committee member Andrea Ide said. “I’ve been able to get in and measure regularly. Each booth is ten foot by eight foot, so I have to measure the space and calculate how many booths could actually fit. This all has to go by the fire marshal to confirm that it’s all safety protocol.”
The craft fair will be run by band students and parents as volunteers. Student participation is an important aspect of the fundraiser. Band students will each work a shift at the fair setting up tables, assisting vendors and customers, working the raffle table, or assisting with clean-up. With the abundance of help at hand, volunteer recruitment has gone very well.
“I’ve had a really good response from the students and parents,” committee member Jennifer Ayers said. “People started volunteering right away, which I thought was awesome. We’ll be staffed really well.”
With the wide variety of small businesses and sellers, the Craft Fair will be a fun place to walk around, look at handmade items, and do some early holiday shopping while also supporting the FHN band program.
“It’s a great way to support local vendors and a creative way to get Christmas gifts,” Ide said. “Everybody should come to the craft fair.”
