Enjoy Quality Crafts at the Appalachian Craft Fair

Red-Bird-MissionSaturday, March 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 to p.m., Portage First United Methodist Church is hosting a Red Bird Missions Craft Fair to give you the opportunity to enjoy quality Appalachian crafts.

The Red Bird Mission, located in the southeastern Kentucky mountains, is an agency of Red Bird Missionary Conference of the United Methodist Church. Red Bird Mission has a school, medical center, community outreach, community housing improvement and economic opportunities. By providing a market for local artisans, the craft program is a vital part of economic development. This source of income is important in an area of 50% unemployment. Portage First UMC has been sending teams to work at Red Bird Mission for the last couple of years.

The craft fair will have many crafts within an 80-mile radius of the mission. There will be beautiful baskets, some made of honeysuckle vines or creek willow that are family traditions developed in an age when self-sufficiency was necessary in the isolated mountains. Another native art represented is the woven run using scrap materials and even upholstery material. Doll collectors will have fun seeing a variety of handmade dolls. They have an assortment of the corn-shuck items including a variety of authentic flowers that will delight flower lovers. Other items include unscented beeswax candles, jewelry, jams and jellies. There are note cards, history books of the area, books with special recipes, hand painted gourds, woven placemats, and handmade brooms for use or decoration. The wooden crafts consist of toys, games, utensils, cutting boards, cooling racks and furniture. Adorable wood and cloth Christmas ornaments and an assortment of nativity sets add to the colorful display.

For more information, contact the church office at (219) 762-3846.