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August 22, 2008

A Crafty Festival

Show caters to various artistic tastes

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Vikki Sims of Beckley returned to the 44th annual Appalachian Festival Friday — for the first time in at least 15 years.

Sims said she simply forgot about the festival every year, but this time, a friend reminded her.

Now, Sims, impressed by the size and number of selections, plans to return next year as a vendor selling her custom-made clocks.

The Appalachian Festival continued for a second day Friday with the arts and crafts fair opening at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center. Vendors and customers from across and outside the state poured into the convention center, with all 125 booth spaces filled, according to Ellen Taylor, executive director of the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce. Vendors and customers came from such locations as New York, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

“You name it, it’s here,” she said. “You can save gas and vacation at home.”

While Taylor did not have exact numbers, she said attendance Friday was about the same as it was last year.

Several longtime vendors are at the festival for another year, but some new ones are in the mix, Taylor said. A weaver attended, bringing her loom. Another vendor melts down old glass bottles and turns them into various items, like serving plates. Others brought jewelry, gourmet mustard and wine.

Nitro resident Teddie Focht brought her traveling handmade candle business, The Glowing Wick, to the festival for a sixth year. Focht has a day job as a respiratory therapist at the Charleston Area Medical Center trauma room and says her side business helps relieve tremendous stress.

“At the hospital, you have a lot of people who don’t want to be there,” she said. “Here, people are here to shop and talk. It’s a whole different atmosphere.”

Focht began the business in 2000. She said she liked cooking, but any business involving food has considerable health regulation hoops. Then she began researching candles and now finds the different scents relaxing.

Her customer base is more diverse than one may believe, too. Focht said a male customer bought a candle crockpot and Creme Brulee-scented candles at one fair. He was carrying several other bags on his arms.

“Guys like to shop, too,” she said. “You’d be amazed. I work with a lot of men. They won’t tell you they have a tart burner at home, but they do. Candles are for everybody, I think.”

Focht also complimented the event staff. She said staff members will relieve vendors like her for breaks if they are working alone. They will also help unload and load items, and they simply stop by and ask how the vendors are doing.

“I’ve been to other events where I haven’t seen anyone from them,” she said. “This is my little getaway and vacation.”

For Jim Davis of Galax, Va., the arts and crafts fair is another venue where he can not only make a profit, but also share and spread the history of his ancestors.

Davis has taken Native American crafts like jewelry, tribal sticks, dance rattles and dream catchers on the road for about 25 years. The Cherokee descendant said he began with dream catchers at age 5 when he and friends would make them and trade with one another.

Most of the general public, unless they are well versed in Native American history, does not even know what tribal sticks are, Davis said. He explained there are various types, like the Eagle Dancer, a ceremonial item used to honor the eagle.

Like any other culture, Native American culture and history will fade away with time unless it is spread, Davis said. Venues like the arts and crafts fair help.

“Even at the reservations, the younger generations only know limited history and language,” he said. “There are very few youngsters able to speak the language.

“But people will come through here and buy items like our blessing feather because of the history and the purpose it was used for. They take it home and not only do they have a piece of it, they have gained knowledge of Native American history they did not know before today.”

The arts and crafts fair will continue from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

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