Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair to return to Talleyrand Park

Artists, musicians, food vendors and more will return to Talleyrand Park on Friday and Saturday for the 34th annual Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair.

This year, the fair committee has changed the layout, which they believe will be a nice change for everyone.

“We are putting all the children’s activities and the youth artists on the gazebo side of the park and all of the adult artists will be from the other side of the bridge and throughout the walkways and into the new section of the park,” said Director Steve Snook. “Food vendors will still remain on both sides as well as musical entertainment.”

The fair offers free admission, free entertainment, free children’s activities and free shuttle.

“We are expecting around 77 adult vendors and we have 12 confirmed children artists and hope to expect more,” Snook said. “Of course, we have a lot of food vendors.”

The Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair will include artists from all over Pennsylvania and a couple from Ohio. This year’s categories include: fiber, food, general, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, pottery, soap and wood. Among the featured local vendors for this year are Chad McKissick Photography, of Bellefonte; April Burrell of Itsy & Bitsy Designs in State College; Anne-Marie Hildebrand,t of Lime in the Sky Designs in Boalsburg; and Janet Robinson ,of The Piper’s Peck in Bellefonte.

Snook has been on the fair committee previously but took over as director of the fair this year.

“It has been challenging to learn what all goes into making this fair happen each year,” he said. “I appreciate all the help that our former director, Debbie Hamilton, has done for me this year to help me transition into this position.”

Entertainment is selected and booked by Bellefonte Mayor Tom Wilson, of Centretainment, and again features a wide variety of musical styles, including rock ’n’ roll, classic rock, bluegrass, blues, jazz and big band.

“We have great musical entertainment scheduled at both the Main Stage and the Gazebo Stage,” Snook said.

Visitors can enjoy returning musical entertainment including the Jay Vonada Trio, Ramalama, Keystone Society of Swing and Jackie Brown & the Gill Street Band.

New to the fair for this year and to Centre County is Rodeo Serenade, featuring classic county and Texas swing. Also new for this year is the Second Winds, Centre County’s premier senior citizen band, performing big band music.

The committee works year-round to bring the fair to life.

“At the end of the fair on Saturday we start all over again planning for next year,” Snook said. “It really does take 12 months of planning.”

Numerous activities are planned for children, including face painting, a science center, arts and crafts and kayaking.

Free parking is available at Bellefonte Area High School and a free shuttle bus will transport visitors to the business district to tour and shop in downtown Bellefonte and to Talleyrand Park.

The Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair Committee and the Bellefonte Intervalley Chamber of Commerce work together to provide an opportunity to showcase local businesses merchandise and organizations services. BIACC sponsors “Hometown Bellefonte” in the brick walkway next to the train station.

The Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair is a juried fair, and all arts and crafts must be original products. No kits, purchased pre-cut components or photocopied products are allowed and no manufactured items represented as handmade by the applicant are permitted. Only items produced by the artist and approved by the Jury Committee may be sold.

“This fair is a great opportunity to see some beautiful art and craftsmanship,” Snook said. “This fair offers so much and there is something for everyone of all ages.”

This story was originally published August 10, 2017 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair to return to Talleyrand Park."