Woolwich Community Services is gearing up for their big Antiques, Collectibles & Crafts Market happening during the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival on April 7.
Held in the McLeod Arena at the Woolwich Memorial Centre, the market offers up vendors’ wares and a silent auction.
“We have a variety of craft vendors, about 40, ranging from bath and beauty products … we have a lot of jewellery vendors with handmade jewellery. All of the products at the show have to be handmade to be qualified to be entered so everything is handmade, a lot of hand-sewn stuff – a lot of hand-sewn clothing. There are a couple of vendors who are doing pottery, which from the pictures are beautiful glass pottery plates, tea pots, things like that,” said Deanna Pereira, community resource coordinator for Woolwich Community Services. “Just a wide variety of items. Antique vendors, as well, which is good to see that part of the show still going.”
This will be the 35th year that the fundraiser has taken place during the festival. A great indoor event during the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival to give people a break out of the cold, admission is $3 – down from $7 last year – with children 12 and under free. Money generated from the event will go directly to WCS.
“All the proceeds from the show admission goes right back to Woolwich Community Services programs, so that goes to our operating costs for all of our programs such as the food bank, employment services, family violence prevention program, community support, community gardens, the list goes on and on,” she explained. “So we encourage, especially the local community in the Woolwich Township to come out to the show because they are supporting the services we provide in the community.”
Although the market is running during the festival on Saturday (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), organizers encourage people to come out Friday night from 6-9 p.m. as it will be open then as well, possibly making it a bit easier to really take in all that it has to offer without the hustle and bustle of the festival activities on Saturday.
“Another thing we are really encouraging people to do is to come out on the Friday night, especially locals. Friday night is the same price but there is also the toy show at the Lions Hall that are the extra day,” said Pereira. “The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, the Saturday is crazy for people who come – it’s super busy. There is so much going on, it’s kind of hard to get everything done on the Saturday, so we are kind of encouraging people to come out to support on the Friday night. You’ll get a chance to kind of see everything ahead of time, walk the craft show, the antique show and do all that kind of stuff.”
Also at the Antiques, Collectibles & Crafts Market, WCS will be having their annual major fundraiser for the Woolwich Youth Centre program, the youth centre silent auction. Attendees can bid on a variety of different prizes that have all been donated by organizations and individuals in the community.
“We have lots of great donated prizes, at least 50 donated prizes from local organizations and community supporters,” she said. “We have things such as Canada’s Wonderland tickets, sporting event tickets, we have a signed hockey stick from the Kitchener Rangers, all kinds of stuff for kids of all ages and adults. There is a wide variety.”
All proceeds from the silent auction go directly to the youth centre, a year-round recreation program offered to young people from Grade 6 to age 18 that sees some 125 individuals participate annually. The centre operates primarily on donations from the community and participants memberships.
At the silent auction table, they will also be starting “Winning Wednesday” ticket sales – another fundraiser that sees tickets sold at the event whereby, come July and August, prizes will be raffled off each Wednesday of the week.
The Antiques, Collectibles & Crafts Market will be happening Friday April 6, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday April 7, from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the McLeod Arena at the Woolwich Memorial Centre with the silent auction closing Saturday at 3 p.m.
