To The Editor:
Here are some corrections and historical facts about the Mad River Valley Craft Fair in response to information provided to The Valley Reporter by craft fair organizers.
Since 1971, Gaelic and Bonnie McTigue started and ran the Mad River Valley Craft Fair held the third weekend in July each year, first at the Waitsfield Elementary School and later at the Couples Club field with approximately a dozen exhibitors.
Beginning in 1984, deciding not to organize it again, Gaelic and Bonnie said: “If you want it to happen, you will have to do it yourself”. I picked up the gauntlet, having been an exhibitor since 1975 with my functional pottery, as well as at Vermont Handcrafters and many other retail craft fairs. Immediately, I shifted the date to Labor Day weekend, gathered 60 artists, with the blessing of the bank manager Wayne, changed the location to the Howard Bank field. We had tents for the first time which were arranged in a square with entertainment by the illustrious children’s singer/songwriter, John Gailmor, and the hilarious Wendy Cohen and her puppets. Among the crafters demonstrating were local crafters Carol Collins, wool spinner; a wood worker and a potter. Food trucks provided nourishment and Felton Michael did our electrical work for lighting in the tents. The Mad River Valley Craft Fair grew from 60 exhibitors to 110 exhibitors during my tenure.
During those years, admission was free to the public. It was like throwing a party for the whole Valley. Everyone attended as often as they liked over the weekend. Craft sales went well. Children were safely seated in the square while the parents shopped. After running the Mad River Valley Craft Fair for five years it was sold in 1989 it to the Valley Players. The craft fair continues to flourish all these years! I am passionate about bringing the arts to the public and have continued this tradition developing “Studios Without Walls” a site-specific sculpture exhibition at Olmsted’s Riverway Park in Brookline, MA, which has featured a total of 75 artists over the past 22 years.
Support the arts!
Bette Ann Libby
Waitsfield
