Crafters of all kinds gathered in the cat cavern on Friday, Oct. 18, bringing along their creations as well as crowds of curious buyers. Unlike other craft fairs, this event was exclusively only open for Willamette students to sell their creations, resulting in a display of crochet animals, jewelry, paintings, t-shirts, prints, magnets, and so much more. Together, the event was a myriad of unique art all made and sold by students for students.
This was the second-ever Willamette craft fair, the first taking place last November. With more time to plan and more recognition gained by the last craft fair, prospective buyers and crafters alike were pleased by the event's growth. Amie Holstein (’25), an artist who sold her creations at both years’ events, said at the beginning of the night that although it was still early, she had already noticed, “It seems like there are more people involved. There are a lot more tables this year, and it seems busier.” With dozens of tables for students to explore, this year's craft fair posed a wonderful opportunity for crafters to sell their beloved creations and for buyers to peruse booths for a Friday night full of fun.
While popularized now, the event almost didn't come to fruition, as it was originally intended to be a showcase of local businesses. When this idea was scrapped, the members of WEB wanted to keep the general intention of bringing the community together through art, which is how the idea for a student-run craft fair was born. Eclipse Albert (’26), the current vice president of WEB, said that “it felt more important to the Willamette community to showcase their art.”
While it is important for Willamette students to be a part of the wider Salem community, it is equally vital that students take advantage of their limited years on campus and connect with their peers. Jillian Consani (’26), a participating artist of the fair, said, “I think it is cool to be selling among peers. I feel like signing up for markets can be really intimidating because you are with crafters who have been in the business for years.” This market amongst peers is a great way for creative minds to dip their toes into the field without the fear of judgment. Consani added, “It is a lot less intimidating when all of the vendors are on an even playing field; we are all college kids and all have similar resources.”
Other artists agreed with Consani about the contribution to the art community that the university is cultivating through the craft fair. Holstein marveled at the sheer creativity that the Willamette community had to offer, going on to say that there were crafts being sold that she had never seen before.
After Friday’s crafting extravaganza came to a close, crafters went home with a little extra spending money and visitors with a unique handmade creation. Participants now prepare for next year's craft fair, looking forward to seeing a fresh wave of Willamette's famous creativity.