Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 2, 1991 TAG: 9104020274
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DEVAUGHN/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
This will be the scene at the 20th annual Brush Mountain Arts and Crafts Fair at Virginia Tech's Rector Field House this weekend.
The fair, sponsored by Blacksburg's Voluntary Action Center, will feature six food vendors, continuous entertainment and 130 artisans from across the country.
There are over 40 new artisans participating. Fair coordinator Brenda Chandler said she hopes the newcomers attract more people.
"There will be a lot of participants who are here each year," she said, "but the new craftsmen will make the fair seem different."
Chandler said the Voluntary Action Center has made a conscious effort to keep crafts that are popular and get rid of "unnecessary" ones.
A newcomer to this year's fair is Mary Lou Clark of Roanoke. She makes flags - all kinds of flags.
"Some people decorate the front of their house with a pot of flowers, a wreath on the door - we use flags," said Clark. "Flags express a person's individuality. I have over 50 designs in stock. I make flags with state flowers, balloons, pumpkins, leaves, you name it. I even have flags for the Christmas season and Easter."
Clark said a person can come to her with a design in mind and she will custom-make a flag.
Clark, 48, started her flag business four years ago. It has become full time and she sometimes works as many as 70 hours a week. She works with 10 gift shops and galleries and sells custom flags on the side. This is her first attempt at selling at a crafts fair.
Clark's flags range in price from $58 to $71, based on their complexity. A pole and bracket cost $12 and must be bought separately.
Another fair newcomer will be a traditional Southern band, Tina Liza and the Jug Busters. The trio play fiddle, guitar and banjo, and have been together for a decade.
Bill Richardson, fiddle, guitarist and singer, describes his band: "It was a rich man's war and a poor man's fight. After the war, most everybody was poor. We play their music."
The Jug Busters play 7-9 p.m. Friday. All the bands that will perform have donated their time to the Voluntary Action Center.
John Amos, 80, of Blacksburg, has sold his honey at the fair for a dozen years. The retired Virginia Tech entomologist has been harvesting honey since 1938.
Amos' booth has been one of the more popular ones, according to Chandler. He offers honey in containers of all sizes and shapes. He also has beeswax for crafts and beeswax candles. He'll offer products anywhere from 5 cents to a 50-pound can of honey for $45.
Fair admission is $1 per day. Profits will go to the Voluntary Action Center. Hours are Friday, 4-10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
by CNB