Support local artists and contribute to a charitable cause in the fourth annual Two of a Kind Vendor Show, a fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Grand River chapter set for Saturday in Breslau.
The event will feature unique artisan crafts, including Christmas wreaths, jewelry made from natural gemstones, bath products, framed quotes, and knitting. Admission sales and 10 per cent of the sales will go towards the local MS Society.
There will be more than 100 vendors attending this year, the most this group has ever hosted, says fundraising coordinator Kim Kay-Thomas, noting about half are newcomers.
There will be some distinctive vendors this time around, she added.
“We have a woman who is a wheat weaver, which is actually really unique,” said Kay-Thomas. “We have a few that are very specific – one does Ukrainian painted eggs. She actually is painting them while people are walking by, they’re beautiful. They’re called Ukrainian Eggs by Angela. We have one guy that makes items for your garden out of stones, such as animals.”
Selected vendors are chosen by a committee whose members try to keep artists at approximately 10 per category to keep things varied. In particular, knitting sees a considerable amount of applicants over other categories. Vendors pay $35 for a table.
Thousands of people attend, and that amount has increased each year.
“It helps to be in Victoria Street between Kitchener and Guelph because there’s quite a bit of traffic,” said Kay-Thomas. “We also have food trucks that are out front of the greenhouse location that helps get attention.”
The show raises some $10,000 on average. Kay-Thomas says that amount has gone up by a couple of grand each time and is expecting a good turnout in 2018.
Canada has the highest rate of MS in the world. The MS Society, Grand River chapter offers a variety of supportive programs for people living with MS, including support groups and educational workshops. Each year, the society donates $140 million to research in hopes of finding a cure for MS.
The Two of a Kind Vendor Show will take place November 3 at the Belgian Nursery at 2615 Victoria St. N. in Breslau. It goes on from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $3 per person, $5 per family, and free for children.
