Long Island residents can shop for unique handcrafted items while supporting local schools at three upcoming craft and gift fairs this spring. The events, hosted by Island Fairs, offer a diverse range of products—from Easter decorations to handmade jewelry—and will take place throughout March and April.
“It’s a lot of spring stuff so you're going to see a lot of Easter merchandise, a lot of outdoor spring merchandise like decorations, so you can decorate your house inside and out,” JR Nichols, owner of Island Fairs, told South Shore Press.
Vendors offer everything from local honey to glasswork, crocheted apparel to signs, pet supplies to jewelry, woodwork to beaded pens—and what’s for sale supports not only local schools but also local businesses, Nichols said.
“Most of it is handmade or it's curated. It’s stuff that you don't usually see in stores,” Nichols said.
In addition to one-of-a-kind crafts, he said customers may have the opportunity to special order merchandise. “You can special order some things, and you can get exactly what you want,” he said.
There’s plenty for kids as well, including plush animals.
Next up is the Selden Craft & Gift Fair, an indoor shopping experience on Saturday, March 29, at Newfield High School, 145 Marshall Drive. Following that, on Saturday, April 5, is an indoor shop-a-thon at Hauppauge High School, 500 Lincoln Boulevard.
An outdoor venue with food trucks concludes the month on Saturday, April 26, with a decades-old event at East Islip District Grounds, 1 Craig B. Gariepy Ave. in Islip Terrace. Each event benefits a school district, and each runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The final event has a rain date of Sunday, April 27, Nichols said. There is no admission fee.
The craft fairs are a tradition for these communities, many with a history spanning several decades, he said.
Nichols, a Long Island resident, was a longtime vendor before becoming owner of Island Fairs. The company runs approximately 15 shows a year, mostly in the spring and before the winter holidays.