Most people go to the National Folk Festival for the music, the food and the camaraderie.

I’m not going to lie – I’m in it for the shopping. Don’t get me wrong. I love the spirit, the dancing and the gyros. But my first stop is always the marketplace.

It all started two years ago as I wandered from vendor to vendor, stocking up on yarns and jewelry. The beauty of shopping at the National is that the items are unique – you won’t find these traditional handcrafts at the mall or Jo-Ann. And they’re made by local people who give new interpretations to ages-old techniques.

It’s probably a good idea to start with a basket from Dorothy Lawrence of The Basket Tree. Though these are traditional Northwest mountain work baskets, think of them as stylish shopping baskets. That way, you can tote around all your other purchases.

Because I’m a knitting fool, I can’t resist the fiber arts that abound at the festival. I’m smitten with the mittens made by Lynn Winters at Ash Grove Spinning & Knitting (and her fulled handbags are adorable, too). And I really have a yen for yarn spun by Paula Farrar of Done Roving Farm and Carding Mill. The colors are gorgeous and the fibers luxurious – alpaca, mohair, llama and silk. Plus, Farrar makes felted items, too. Beeuw van Kuijeren of Vermeer’s Lace & Fiber Studio, a favorite from my first Folk Festival visit, will be on hand with cozy Netherlandish knits.

Speaking of cozy, I want to curl up in one of the serene quilts and pillows from The Spring Street Co. Ginger Phelps and her daughter-in-law Gabriella D’Italia take traditional patterns and give them a twist with modern fabrics and a contemporary look. Nora Flanagan, on the other hand, uses needle and thread to create landscapes in fabric on her wallhangings and pillows.

Mark Wren of Wrenovations creates his own scenes in stained glass. Though he’ll sell sun catchers and small windows at the festival, larger pieces of his work adorn the new Down East Heritage Center in Calais. Other crafters such as Laurie and Fern Stearns of Farm Fertilized, Edward Harrow of Norumbega Woodcrafters, and Ralph and Deen Hicks of Island Intarsia depict the state’s flora and fauna in wood. The Stearns’ carved flowers are fascinating, Harrow’s decoys and nature-inspired pieces are works of art, and the Hicks use contrasting woods to give their inlays a three-dimensional appearance.

When it comes to woodworking, though, I’m partial to functional pieces, such as the burl bowls crafted by Lisa and Timothy Falvey of Forever Yours Woodworking and the smooth, sleek Swedish kitchen utensils – pickle forks, ladles, rolling pins – made by Jeff Peterson. Jim and Linda Leach of Fine Pine Designs create solid furniture and kitchen accessories with simple lines. For fishermen, I’d recommend a stop at Alan and Vicki Stevens’ booth to see their graceful wooden nets. And Leslie Smith’s turkey calls are a new addition for hunters.

For bargain hunters, I’d recommend a visit to Terry Williamson at Appalachian Resources. His wirecraft jewelry, which involves wrapping gemstones and Czech glass beads in silver and gold-filled wire, is both graceful and affordable. Where else can you get a Maine tourmaline necklace for $56? The glass-bead earrings are beautiful, and for $12, they won’t break the bank.

But wire jewelry is just the beginning – Stanley Sayers of Micmac Indian Crafts will be on hand with horn and bone necklaces, stone arrowhead necklaces and beaded bracelets. Ed Croy carves moose and deer antlers to make necklaces, among other things.

Jean Seronde of Native Arts Gallery in Bar Harbor will sell traditional Navajo-style jewelry, which boasts bold stones and substantial silver. Rosemarie DiLernia’s linen jewelry is equally substantial, but decidedly different in style, with its nautical-style knot work accented with semiprecious stones.

Mildred Crocker of Lee also uses knots in her tatted designs, carrying on the dying art of handmade lacework. Her doilies and linens are delicate and intricate, with an old-fashioned feel. John Halloran’s Braided Works rugs also have an old-fashioned feel. Using fiber from Maine’s only surviving woolen mill in Oxford, Halloran makes traditional styles that warm the home – and the feet.

If you want really warm feet, though, you should visit Bob and Anne Dickens’ booth to pick up a pair of cuddly sheepskin slippers, or stop by the Quoddy Trail Moccasin Co. booth for a pair of moccasins handmade by fourth-generation moccasin maker Kevin Shorey.

Natalia Bragg of Knot II Bragg Farm is the sixth generation of her family to prepare plant-based medicinals, tinctures and salves. Try her Stinky Feet Soap (even if your feet don’t stink). The herbal arts have a strong representation this year, with Mary Mondello of Maine Coast Herbals (I’ve got my eye on the lavender massage oil), Janet Edwards of Mountain Mama of Maine (love the Smooth as a Baby’s Bottom salves), and Sandra Hare of Naturally Bee-Ewe-tiful, with her beeswax-based line of personal-care products. And Betsey Ann Golon of Common Folk Farm is back with her delicious herbal teas and dried herbs.

Equally delicious are the jams and syrups prepared by Worcester’s Wild Blueberries and Blueberry Bliss (this is what they serve at the Blaine House – yummy!) If that doesn’t whet your appetite, check out Martha’s Fudge, made by Martha Hunt, who learned how to make fudge when she was 5. On a more puckery note, Stanchfield Farms will be on hand with pickled goodies and relishes, while Jack’s Gourmet will sell such gourmet treats as cucumber-lemon marmalade and sweet onion garlic jelly.

With this many options, it’s enough to wear out even the hardiest of shoppers (especially if you have to haul all your purchases back to the car). So after all that browsing, I’d suggest you grab a lemonade and some fries, sit down and enjoy the music. That’s why you came to the Folk Festival, after all.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by mail to Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329, or by fax 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.