Three craft fairs to take place in Cape this weekend

Three craft fairs will take place this weekend at locations throughout Cape Girardeau.

The first begins today, the three-day 11th Annual Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show at the Bavarian Halle off Interstate 55 exit 105. The show takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. This show has the lowest admission price for the three shows in the area at $1 on Friday and Saturday. Admission is free Sunday. Proceeds from the show go to support Toys for Tots, Christmas for the Elderly and Christmas packages for soldiers in Iraq.

Saturday will mark the beginning of two two-day craft shows -- the River Valley Craft Fair and the 36th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza.

The River Valley fair is run by local businessman Rick Werner and takes place at two locations -- the Arena Building and the Plaza Conference Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $1.50 per location. The fair features handcrafted items only.

At the same time the 36th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza will be filling the Show Me Center and the Osage Community Centre. The extravaganza raises money for the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and is the oldest of the three current craft fairs,

Arts Council director Delilah Tayloe said the fair proceeds are responsible for about 50 percent of the not-for-profit arts advocacy group's annual funding.

Every year 8,000 to 10,000 visitors go through the two venues, Tayloe said.

Like the River Valley fair, the Arts Council's craft show features only handmade items, which wasn't always the case.

"There was a brief span of time where it was more opened up, and it was realized that it was to the detriment of our American handicrafter and artisan to do that," Tayloe said.

More than 300 crafters will display work at the fair, with items like toys, Christmas decorations, ornaments, clothing, jewelry and furniture. Crafters will also be do demonstrations, Tayloe said.

This year the fair is expanded, with exhibitors taking up the upper level of the Show Me Center for the first time in five years, Tayloe said.

The $3 admission price gets visitors into both locations.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182