In 2020, Cindy Alexander opened ‘Cindy’s Craft Corner’, her own traveling small business that specializes in wood home decor signs. Seasonal colors, holiday greetings, and personalized designs adorn her creations, and you’ve seen her set up shop at fairs and markets from Bridgman to Kalamazoo. Her excitement for what she does is unmatched, and the urge to share her joy quickly materialized into a new idea.
“I started attending area craft shows, and I loved the interaction with our community, meeting new people, and enjoyed creating things for others,” says Cindy. “I felt like Stevensville was missing a little something just before the holidays, and the idea of hosting my own show at our family farm, Barbott Farms & Greenhouse, was born.”
Owners Andy and Miriam Barbott usually close the greenhouse on October 31st, so allowing a craft show to take place just two weeks later was going to be a huge task. Cleaning and reorganizing the space, acquiring approval from the township, and completing a long list of to-dos would determine the success of the ‘Tis The Season’ Craft Show.
“I wanted to have a broad range of vendors with each one being relatively unique to themselves, instead of having a large number of vendors with the same products,” says Cindy. “ I felt like that would separate our show from many others. In 2021, I planned on having forty vendors, but was able to fit fifty-five local artisans, and two local food trucks on site.”
Within an hour of opening the doors last year, the parking lot neared capacity. “I heard one customer say they arrived earlier but there was no parking, so they left and came back,” Cindy says. “A swarm of customers was waiting at the door when we opened at 9 a.m, and we had traffic backed up on Cleveland Avenue in both directions.”
The 2nd Annual ‘Tis The Season Craft Show returns to Southwest Michigan this Saturday, November 12th, at Barbott Farms & Greenhouse. From 9 a.m – 4 p.m, shop sixty-eight vendors inside the greenhouse, and two food trucks in the parking lot.
“Last year’s turnout was unbelievable,” says Cindy. “And we hope this year is even more successful!” Adjustments have been made to improve the overall experience, like having a waiting list for vendors (which still has thirty businesses on stand-by), adding more parking spaces, and so on. Rain or shine, this show will go on – just be prepared for a muddy parking lot.
Admission is free for the craft show, and there will be no shortage of interesting and fantastic wares available for purchase: candles, coasters, magnets, ornaments, doll clothes, coffee, jewelry, greeting cards, tie-dye, metal stamping crafts, knit blankets, oils, soaps, books, boutique clothing, pet items, sweet treats, Michigan products, yard decor, glass art, and so, so much more. “We had so much positive feedback from last year’s show, and we are looking forward to this one!” says Cindy. “We can’t wait to see you all there!”
Barbott Farms & Greenhouse is a 300-acre, four-generation farm located at 7155 Cleveland Avenue in Stevensville. From the end of April through October, they offer hanging baskets, annuals and perennials, and partner with Berrien County Schools and organizations to help with fundraising in our communities. Small businesses supporting small businesses is one of the things that makes Southwest Michigan great, and this craft show proves just that.
For a detailed list of all seventy vendors in attendance, please visit the Tis The Season Craft Show page.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
