Shoppers take a gander at the colourful creations available for purchase at the Lakeland 3D Printing booth Friday afternoon at the Lloyd Ex.
Support local entrepreneurs … many folks can check that off, along with some unique Christmas gifts, from their list following fantastic attendance at the 35th Lloydminster Craft Fair and Chamber Expo.
The three-day event was held at the Lloyd Ex over the weekend, with over 350 vendors, and over 12,000 paid admission passes purchased, keeping in mind kids under 12 get in for free.
“We are very excited, it’s our 35th year and we were sold out (vendors) and we had great attendance through the full weekend. Vendors were very excited, there was lots of buying and Christmas cheer,” said Teri-Lynn MacKie, Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce executive director.
“It is great for our whole community. We have lots of vendors coming in from out of town. Our hotels were full, the restaurants were being utilized, people were out and about in our community doing shopping because they came in from out of town.”
“So, it’s not only just great for the farmers’ market and the chamber, it’s great for the whole community.”
The craft fair and expo is also a great opportunity for local non-profit organizations and sports clubs to raise money for their cause or sport.
“Our attendance was amazing. It effected not only our organizations, but there’s quite a few … non-profits that get money for volunteering for the craft fair and chamber expo,” said MacKie, listing Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Riptides swim club as just a couple of examples.
There are many people, shoppers and vendors alike, who look forward to the event each year.
“Most people now know it’s the third weekend in November and plan to come to Lloydminster that weekend for the show,” said Border City Farmer’s Market president Alice Pattison.
“I had a vendor who said they were talking to people form Kindersley, and then I had somebody else tell me they had people come from Saskatoon … we’ve had people come all the way from Calgary.”
Pattison said she doesn’t think the unseasonably warm November temperatures, or the lack of snow stopped people from getting into the holiday spirit.
“No snow is good and bad really. It brought people out because they could travel from far away, but some of them would have travelled that distance anyway. But with no snow it doesn’t feel like Christmas right?” Pattison chuckled, adding the vendors she talked to afterwards were very satisfied with the attendance and with their sales.
“I think everybody should support local, for the simple fact that most of them are small businesses and they support the economy around here as well.”
“Most of the vendors need that local support. You can contact them later, and it’s right here. It all trickles back into the economy, for sure.”
