48th festival is in the books
Cool, rainy start capped by spectacular Saturday
This year’s Bella Vista Arts and Crafts Festival, which drew exhibitors and customers from all across the nation as well as locals, started off on a cold, wet Thursday, but had the good taste to end on an unbelievably nice, sunny Saturday.
The 48th festival seemed to draw an impressive crowd on its first day despite the weather, said event director Mary Sinkus.
Dealing with Wednesday’s rain, she said, was the top priority. Volunteers were spreading crushed rock and straw to cover mud and give exhibitors and visitors alike solid ground to stand on.
Even faced with cold and mud, shoppers were not deterred.
Based on the number of cars in the parking lot, she said, the event drew as much of a crowd as it did last year on Thursday.
“We seem to have a lot of shoppers and they seem to be buying things,” she said.
One of those shoppers, Earl Benton, said he came down from Springfield, Mo., with his wife, Dixie.
“She really buys a lot of Christmas presents,” he said. “I buy a few myself. It’s a great time,” he added, opening his jacket to reveal a series of attractive pens he’d purchased that morning.
Julene Baker-Smith, a pastel artist from Rogers, said this festival has appeal in part because it tends to offer higher-quality goods, which is in part a result of exclusively allowing handmade goods.
“This show is known for its