Craft Show to Benefit CL South Booster Club

The Crystal Lake South Booster Club is holding its main fundraiser of the year, the 37th annual A Country Christmas Arts and Crafts Show on Saturday and Sunday.

The show, featuring handcrafted items for the home and holidays, will open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Crystal Lake South High School, 1200 McHenry Ave., Crystal Lake.

“This is the best arts and crafts show in the area,” said Diane Christensen, chairwoman for the craft show. “Years ago, when this show started, it was held at North Junior High School (now Bernotas Middle School), and it was eventually moved to the high school because we needed more room.”

Christensen said this year’s event will include 76 crafters from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Visitors can browse the booth displays and find a wide assortment of handmade items including soaps, candles, holiday decorations, jewelry, painted furniture, home decor, chocolates and gourmet food.

There are plenty of gift items for children, such as girls’ hair bows and knitted mittens and hats. One vendor even caters to a canine clientele selling dog treats, Christensen said.

“One of our new vendors this year is Gramp’s Gourmet Foods from Scales Mound, Ill.,” Christensen said. “They’ll be selling pickles, beets and apple pie.”

A Country Christmas Arts and Crafts Show enjoys a loyal following, and in past years has attracted between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors per weekend, Christensen said.

The Crystal Lake South Booster Club will charge a $2 admission fee, which is new this year, Christensen said.

While the craft show serves as one of the booster club’s largest fundraisers for the year, it also helps other organizations.

The Crystal Lake South Science Olympiad Team will sell concession food and drink both days to raise money for its group, and South’s junior class will hold a bake sale, Christensen said.