AUBURN — When the doors of the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church opened at 10 a.m. Saturday for the Food Fest and Craft Fair, a line had already formed.
The Rev. Michael Speck said he was thrilled to see it, since the fundraiser couldn't be held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speck was one of the organizers for the event. For him, seeing people return to the event, where people could get ethnic food such as kielbasa and pierogies and buy wares from various vendors, felt like "one more step to returning to normalcy."
"You have no idea what it is to see, because of lot of these craftspeople have come back to see us again, and it's just like getting together with family again," he said.
Looking at the vendors, guests moving from table to table and people darting in to grab meals, Speck said he believes this year's turnout was better than what he remembers from two years ago.
"It's nice to see that people still have this level of enthusiasm, about not only the activities for the people within the church, but all of the people who are here, who are still doing their crafts," Speck said.
People browse around, talk to each to each other and get food during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
He said St. Marion's Sisterhood ran the cooking, and praised their efforts. Speck noted most of the food had flown out of the kitchen by noon and said he'd like to have more vendors next year.
People are also reading…
Emily Young, one of the organizers, has helped with the event for years and said she likes seeing the community involved. Jacquelyn Ann Aversa, who was helping with the raffle, said her love for her church and her faith keep her involved, saying she was baptized at the church when she was 39 days old.
Mary Muldoon Lusk, with her business Mackey's Merri Crafteys, said about six months of work was sitting on her table. Hand-panted mason jars and flowers she arranged were among her goods. A portion of her proceeds goes to a local nonprofit such as Nick's Ride 4 Friends or the Heroin Epidemic Action League, because she has had people in her life who have passed away from substance abuse.
After not going to any craft shows in 2020, she was happy to be at such festivities again. She also said she was glad to be at the St. Nicholas event again and to spend time with the people there.
"The friendship, the people. They're just so kind and thoughtful," Lusk said. "I enjoying seeing them so much, and I haven't seen some of them in over a year."
Anna DiMatteo, her daughter, Lillian Brown, 3, and DiMatteo's sister, Alicia Teal, were looking around at different items. DiMatteo said Lillian, with a half-moon cookie in one hand, wanted the raffle basket themed after the "Frozen" media franchise on the raffle table. Teal said she wanted to support small businesses and lauded the "authentic food," and DiMatteo said she knows vendors and people organizing the event. DiMatteo would like to see more craft fairs in Auburn.
"I don't think they put enough out there for people that do stuff like this," she said. "They don't hold enough of these."
Gallery: People shop and get food at Food Fest and Craft Fair at Auburn church
Fest
Anna DiMatteo, her daughter Lillian Brown, 3, and DiMatteo's sister, Alicia Teal, look at items from Kenda Furgeson's business, Kuts & Krafts by Kenda, during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
Fest
People talk to each other and look at items during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
Fest
Mary Muldoon Lusk, of Mackey's Merri Crafteys, talks to visitors at the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
Fest 4
Wreaths and other goods were displayed by Elizabeth Wilbur for her business, Liz's Creations, during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
Fest 5
Lillian Brown, 3, and her mother, Anna DiMatteo, are at the table for Kenda Furgeson's business, Kuts & Krafts by Kenda, during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
Fest 6
A silver wreath is displayed at the table for Elizabeth Wilbur's business, Liz's Creations, during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Saturday.
Fest 7
Decorations and other items were displayed during the Food Fest and Craft Fair at the hall of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Auburn Saturday.
Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.
"craft" - Google News
November 14, 2021 at 05:50AM
https://ift.tt/3CfyPqU
'Returning to normalcy': Auburn church's food, craft event returns - Auburn Citizen
"craft" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YrY2MS
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "'Returning to normalcy': Auburn church's food, craft event returns - Auburn Citizen"
Post a Comment