Craft fairs abound in Maine this week

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Feeling crafty?

This is your weekend.

I know of at least 21 craft fairs, including seven in Bangor. High-end, low-end, middle of the road – I love them all. If there’s a white elephant table, I’m there.

But I’m not just talking about the holiday bazaars of years past. Not that there’s anything wrong with them, but did you really need another air freshener cover shaped like a doll with a crocheted skirt? I didn’t think so.

In the last several years, craft fairs have broken free from the doily and tissue-holder stereotype, and artisans are now offering high quality handcrafts that are destined to become family heirlooms.

Take the craftswomen at the Designing Women show, which takes place at the Holiday Inn on Main Street in Bangor. I’m smitten with Jodi Clayton’s hand-felted woolen Christmas stockings and Lisa Colburn’s fused glass suncatchers. Not to mention Deborah Bergman’s woven rugs and Pamela Hitchcock’s elegant gold and sterling jewelry.

The United Maine Craftsmen show takes place simultaneously across the street at the Bangor Civic Center. There, you can find soy candles in luscious scents such as Autumn Sage and Strawberry Jam from Merry Moose Workshop, fiery hot sauces from W.O. Hesperus, buttons (perfect for knitters) and ornaments from Concepts in Clay, and the utterly yummy bourbon barbecue sauce from Stanchfield Farms, which I was fortunate enough to sample at the University of Maine Homecoming craft fair.

The fine work at Maine Crafts Guild’s “Directions” sale is sure to please. Check out the metal garden stakes by Dave and Eda Benttinen and Raymond Carbone’s graceful sculptures in wood and stone at the show, which will take place at the Maine State Museum in Augusta. Among the highlights at the Bay School Faire in Blue Hill are Christina Heiniger’s whimsical greeting cards and puppets, and the unusual felted jewelry by Cara Romano.

If you’re going for food alone, I’d hit the East Sangerville Grange craft fair – those Grangers sure can cook – or the East Orrington Congregational Church sale, where lobster rolls and chowder are on the menu.

But if you’re in the mood for a traditional church fair, there are plenty of options this weekend. The Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bangor will feature crafts by church members, a treasure trove of used items, and a large selection of “fair trade” handcrafts from the International Center of Bethlehem. Holy Family Catholic Church in Old Town is holding a holiday bazaar on Saturday and East Orrington Congregational Church will hold its gingerbread fair this weekend, too.

Among the other churches holding fairs this weekend are Brewer First United Methodist Church, Brownville Junction United Methodist Church, Dedham Congregational Church, Franklin Street United Methodist Church in Bucksport, First United Methodist Church in Bangor, Veazie Congregational Church and People’s United Methodist Church in Union, though I’m sure I’ve left a few out.

In Bangor, the Isaac Farrar Mansion will house a “holiday shopping extravaganza” – I’m very excited about this – and the Phillips-Strickland House will hold a holiday fair and afternoon auction. The Sunshine Club for Children will hold its holiday craft fair at the Anah Temple Shrine Mosque.

I usually spend about an hour at each fair, so it appears this weekend will be busy. If you decide to go, bring cash in case there’s a charge at the door, and bring your checkbook, because some crafters don’t take plastic. And if you see a woman staggering out the door with bags and boxes piled so high she can’t see, say hi, because it’s probably me.

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

Craft show schedule

. Bay School Faire, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, George Stevens Academy, Blue Hill, 374-2187.

. Brewer First United Methodist Church holiday bazaar, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 6, 40 South Main St., Brewer.

. Brownville Junction United Methodist Church Fall Fair, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 6.

. Dedham Congregational Church craft fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, Route 46.

. Designing Women show and sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, Holiday Inn, Main Street, Bangor, www.designingwomen.org. ($2 donation to benefit Mabel Wadsworth Center).

. Dexter United Methodist Church Christmas craft fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, 59 Main St., Dexter, 924-5669.

. Directions: Maine Crafts Guild show, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, Maine State Museum, Capitol building, Augusta, 338-1108, www.mainecraftsguild.com.

. Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary craft fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, D.A.V. Hall, Medway.

. East Sangerville Grange holiday craft fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, ($1 donation to benefit Grange Building Fund) 564-7259.

. Fall craft sale, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 6 and 7, Greater Ellsworth Elks Lodge #2743 (Proceeds benefit Maine Children’s Cancer Program), 667-2766.

. Franklin Street United Methodist Church craft fair, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 6, Bucksport.

. Gingerbread Christmas fair, with lobster roll-chowder luncheon, 4-7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, East Orrington Congregational Church, 38 Johnson Mill Road.

. Holiday Shopping Extravaganza, 1-4 p.m. Nov. 7, Isaac Farrar Mansion, Union Street, Bangor.

. Holy Family Catholic Church holiday bazaar, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, Brunswick Street, Old Town, 827-3402 or 827-3011.

. “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” holiday fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, First United Methodist Church, 703 Essex St., Bangor.

. “Jingle Bells” fair, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, Veazie Congregational Church, 1404 State St.

. Phillips-Strickland House holiday fair/afternoon auction, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 (auction starts at 1:30 p.m.), 21 Boyd St., Bangor, 941-2820.

. Redeemer Lutheran Church fall festival, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6, 540 Essex St., Bangor, 945-3166.

. Sunshine Club for Children craft fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7. Anah Temple Shrine Mosque, 586 Main St., Bangor.

. United Maine Craftsmen show, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, Bangor Civic Center, ($1 admission).

. Waldo County YMCA community craft and bake sale, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, 157 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast, 338-4598.

. Winterberry Fair, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, People’s United Methodist Church, Union, 785-4114.