Large crowd expected at Antioch craft fair

Hoping to add some unique, handcrafted goods to your home? Or you just want to spend some time outdoors?

Either way, downtown Antioch is the place to be this weekend.

The village's annual Arts and Crafts Faire is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It boasts a wide variety of crafts, including woods, metals, jewelry, ceramics, apparel, quilts, candles, photography, homemade baked goods, purses and a farmers market.

Barbara Porch, executive director of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said it's not your run-of-the-mill fair.

"This is the one that has been held for over 30 years," Porch said. "With crafters, you have to get in their schedule and they plan their year in advance. That's why this has been our most successful and largest show."

Admission to the fair is free. It is the third of four annual craft fairs in downtown Antioch.

Arts and craft season begins with an indoor event in late February, followed by an outdoor jewelry and accessory fair at the end of April.

Porch said there were some complaints about the weather this year, so the spring fair next year will be held in May.

The summer arts and crafts fair is the oldest of the Antioch art fairs and has traditionally been on Father's Day weekend. It is followed by the Fall Arts and Crafts Fair the weekend after Labor Day.

The fairs have grown in size for the past four years to more than 140 booths and handcrafted goods.

Porch said Antioch's fairs attract crafters from across the country.

"It's not unusual to meet crafters from California, Florida, Ohio and the Carolinas," Porch said. "Antioch's reputation for a great show with an interesting variety of wares draws approximately 5,000 to 12,000 people browsing through each fair."

If you go

What: Antioch Arts and Crafts Faire.

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Downtown Antioch

For sale: Woods, metals, jewelry, ceramics, apparel, quilts, candles, photography, purses and baked goods.