Fox Valley arts and crafts calendar

Oct. 31-Nov. 1

Craft show: Merry Makers Needlecrafters will hold a craft show benefiting Special Olympics from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Kane County Flea Market at Kane County Fair Grounds, 525 Randall Road in St. Charles.

Nov. 1

Fall festival: The Ladies Auxiliary to Veterans of Foreign Wars 1307 will host a fall festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at the post home, 1601 Weld Road, Elgin. It will feature a basket raffle, bake sale and a used cookbook sale. There will be vendors from Watkins, Tupperware, Pampered Chef and Tastefully Simple available for your shopping convenience. The Ladies Auxiliary will be serving a chili and cornbread luncheon for $3 from noon to 2 p.m. Desserts will be available. The Fall Festival is a fundraiser to support national military services and other VFW programs. The Fall Festival is a fundraiser to support national military services and other VFW programs.

Nov. 6-7

Holiday Bazaar: Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church will hold its annual Holiday Bazaar from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the church, 10805 Main St. in Huntley. Items for sale will include decorations, knitted/crocheted items, kitchen items, wood items, toys, doll clothes, greeting cards, bakery goods and trinkets. There also will be a silent auction. For details, call (847) 669-9448.

Nov. 7

Doorway to the Holidays: Good Shepherd Lutheran School is hosting its annual "Doorway to the Holidays" craft fair and turkey dinner from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. The fair features homemade craft items, bake sale and a cookie walk. The homemade turkey dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All activities will take place at the Good Shepherd Christian Life Center, 195 Nesler Road in Elgin. Crafters, there are still tables available to rent. Anyone interested in renting a table should contact Ann Lesh at alesh@gselgin.org or call the school office at (847) 741-7795.

Holiday in the Halls: Crafters are wanted for the St. Thomas More School annual craft fair and bake sale, "Holiday in the Halls," from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the school, 1625 W. Highland Ave., Elgin. There will be more than 80 booths. For details, call Laura Przybylski at (847) 888-4363.

Habitat for Humanity Craft Show: Looking for some early holiday presents? This show will feature 35 crafters, bake sale, raffle and cafe from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, 12N462 Tina Trail, Elgin. Free admission. It benefits Habitat for Humanity-New Hope. For details, call (847) 741-8141 or visit www.christthelordlutheran.com.

Holiday Market Sale: The Swing Set Preschool w ill host the event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Congregational Church of St. Charles, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd. For details, visit swingsetpreschool.org.

Nov. 8

Festival of Arts & Crafts Show: The show features 125 booths of quality handcrafted items from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Holiday Inn, 800 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake. Cost is $2, free for kids younger than 12. Free parking. For exhibitor information, call (847) 301-8543 or visit stepbystepcraftshows.com.

Nov. 14

Craft fair and luncheon: St. Peter Lutheran Church, 43W301 Plank Road in Hampshire, will host a craft fair and luncheon from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. Enjoy a turkey casserole lunch for $7 for adults or $3 for children from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There also will be a silent auction and bake sale. For details, e-mail d.tegtmeier@mchsi.com or call (847) 464-5721.

Nov. 21

Holiday Craft Fair: Marklund's 2009 Holiday Craft Fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Marklund Hyde Center, 1S450 Wyatt Drive, Geneva. For information, call Peggy Szarzynski at (630) 593-5475 or pszarzynski@marklund.org.

Shop for Shelter: St. Mark's Lutheran Church in St. Charles will host a benefit for Lazarus House, "Shop for Shelter," from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Come and join us at this fabulous shopping fundraiser for Lazarus House homeless shelter in St. Charles. Shop for a good cause in convenience and warmth at more than 25 vendor booths with something for everyone, from fashion, jewelry, health and beauty, home goods, kitchen ware, and more. There will be door prizes and giveaways, as well as a cafe for refreshments. Visit the K-LOVE radio and Lazarus House booths. Admission and parking are free. The church is at 101 S. Sixth Ave., St. Charles. For details, call (630) 888-6755.

Craft fair: Jefferson Middle School, 1151 Plum St., Aurora is looking for vendors/crafters to be part of the school's first craft fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Booth rental is $20 for a 10- by 10-foot space, $5 for an 8-foot table to be provided and $5 for electricity; limited space is available. All vendors are required to donate one item to be raffled with a minimum value of $10. Any vendor interested in participating can call Assistant Principal Melena Gaspadarek at (630) 301-5306 for information. The craft fair is sponsored by the Jefferson Middle School's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports team and proceeds will benefit Jefferson students.

Nov. 21-22

Festival of Arts & Crafts Show: The show will feature 170 booths of quality handcrafted items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at the DuPage Expo, 4050 E. Main St., St. Charles. Cost is $2 or free for ages under 12. There is free parking. For exhibitor information, call (847) 301-8543 or visit stepbystepcraftshows.com.

Nov. 27

MALLternative-A Holiday Bazaar and Vendor Show: Why fight the crowds at the mall the day after Thanksgiving, when you can do one-stop shopping at Calvary's Holiday Bazaar and Vendor Show? Crafts, holiday items, things for the home, jewelry - something for everyone. All proceeds from the event benefit the outreach ministries of Calvary, including such local agencies as Mutual Ground, Lazarus House, Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Hesed House. The show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27 at Calvary Episcopal Church, 222 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31) in Batavia. Admission is free. All proceeds from the event benefit the outreach ministries of Calvary, including such local agencies as Mutual Ground, Lazarus House, Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Hesed House.

Santa Comes to Hampshire: The Hampshire Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for crafters for its annual Santa Comes to Hampshire event Friday, Nov. 27. The craft show runs from 4 to 8 p.m. at Hampshire Middle School, 560 S. State St. Space is limited to 25 spots and they are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration is $40 and money must be received before the spot is reserved. Six-foot tables are available at an additional cost of $5 per table. Vendors are asked to donate a door prize item. Registration deadline for crafters is Monday, Nov. 2, but space is limited. Visit www.hampshirechamber.org for the crafter application. For details, call Robbi Burklow at (847) 514-3657 or Stacey Ekstrom at (847) 683-1122.

Nov. 28

Vendor and Home Decor Fair: The Elgin Junior Woman's Club is hosting a Vendor and Home Decor Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at Epworth United Methodist Church, Randall Road and Highland Avenue in Elgin. Items from Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, Celebrating Home and many more vendors will be available. There will also be craft and bake sale items to choose from. For details, contact (847) 224-4318 or slr735@comcast.net. Proceeds will benefit Children's Research Foundation.

Nov. 28-29

Christmas Craft Show: Marmion Academy Alumni Association is sponsoring its 19th annual "A Marmion Family Christmas" Craft Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29 in school gymnasium at 1000 Butterfield Road in Aurora. Parking is free both days with free shuttle bus service on Saturday. This juried show is full, with 153 crafters ready to fill the gymnasium, dining hall, classrooms and lobby with the sights and sounds of the holidays. The Sports Boosters will have food service available both days. The cost of admission is $3 for those age 12 and older. Santa Claus will be visiting the show on Sunday and will be available for photos from noon to 2 p.m. No strollers will be allowed in the show area, but free baby-sitting will be available. No more crafter applications are being accepted for this show. For information or to find out how to apply for a booth in the Alumni Association's Craft Show next year, contact the Alumni Office at (630) 897-6936, ext. 228.

Dec. 5

Cookie Walk: First Congregational Church, 900 S. Eighth St. in West Dundee, will host its ninth annual Cookie Walk from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. Admission is free. Homemade holiday cookies and candies will be available in many varieties and will be sold by weight. A boutique of holiday items and handmade mittens, hats and scarves will also be on sale. The church's cookbook, "A Taste of Heaven," for $5 each. Many of the cookie recipes are included. The church provides financial support to six area organizations in the community serving children, families and singles. All proceeds from Cookie Walk 2009 will be used to fund these charities helping the hungry, the homeless and those in need. For details, call (847) 426-2161, ext. 210, or visit fccdundee.com.