Weekend craft fair benefits Valley Players
Sept. 1, 2022 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
The Mad River Valley Craft Fair sets up in Kenyon's Field along Vermont Route 100 in Waitsfield this weekend. File photo courtesy of the Valley Players.
More than 80 artists along with bands and food vendors converge on Kenyon's Field in Waitsfield this weekend for the 51st Annual Mad River Valley Craft Fair.
The Labor Day weekend event supports the Valley Players community theater group.
Artists come from around New England with many based in Central Vermont: Noel Bailey of Noel Bailey Ceramics, Tom Bednash of Thomas Ceramics, and Victoria Meade of Images in Glass, Anna Nasset of SUR Macrame, and Winona Lowe, new this year with her Twistlet purses are all from Waitsfield; Alixandra Klein of Alixandra Barron is based in Waterbury; Rosemary Pearson of Rosepjewelry and Nancy Rice of Vermont Lore Folks are from Middlesex.
Live music is a big part of the fair. This year four bands will play throughout the two days. Saturday morning features Green Mountain Swing, a 17-piece “big band” that recently appeared at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival. On Saturday afternoon, The Phineas Gage Project will entertain with their “groovy global folk funk” style.
On Sunday morning singer-songwriter Madigan Linnane, an emerging musician with roots in Grafton, Massachusetts, and now residing in the Mad River Valley is scheduled to play. The Medicine Tribe returns on Sunday afternoon featuring Colleen Mari Mays on vocals and acoustic guitar and T.J. Johnson on keyboard.
Food vendors include Wilcox’s lemonade and ice cream, Rick’s Chuckwagon serving hot dogs, sausages with onions and peppers, hamburgers, French fries, grilled cheese and more. New to the fair is Yak It To Me! serving yak burgers and sausage wraps and Mama Africa Cuisine is cooking fried chicken and samosas. Mad River Distillers will have craft cocktails for those 21 or older.
The fair is the largest annual fundraiser to maintain the Valley Players Theater on Main Street in Waitsfield. The players produce and promote cultural activities in the Mad River Valley including plays and musicals, theatrical arts education programs, concerts and comedy shows.
The fair is scheduled rain or shine for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3-4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be door prizes and free face-painting and games for children.
Parking is free. Entry is $5 per person; kids under 12 are free.
Organizers ask that attendees leave pets at home. Masks are optional.
For the full list of door prizes and artists, directions, and more information go to madrivercraftfair.com.