Hundreds of craft show attendees and several vendors ventured to the UNI-Dome last weekend for the 23rd annual Craft Show. 

“What keeps us coming back are the people. The regulars come back to the show to see the new things that we have brought back,” said Val Neumann of Stonewear Pottery By Val. 

Vendors like Neumann come back year after year to show off their homemade products. 

“The show is wonderful; we come each year to get gifts for my kids and grandkids. It means so much more to know that these people are working so hard to create all of these things,” said Dawn Papple, a regular craft show attendee from the Cedar Valley.

Some of the products that could be seen were jewelry, pottery, wood carving and furniture, children’s toys as well as décor, home décor and seasonal and holiday crafts. The Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas displays seemed to be among the busiest. 

Decorative wooden snowmen and Santa Clauses sold quickly for the upcoming holidays.   

Other items for sale at the show were products such as instant party dips. They come in small bags and simply require water to activate the many flavors of dip. 

Vendors selling their products talked with prospective consumers about their goods. No companies or mass-produced products were present at the fair to help benefit Cedar Valley vendors and the UNI community. 

“We only allow those vendors who are making and selling their own product, those who are selling for large companies are not invited through an application process,” said Tom Callahan, founder of the Annual Arts and Crafts Show.

Callahan has been helping to put on the craft show for 23 years. He originally brought the craft show to the UNI-Dome in 1991. 23 years later, the craft show still fills the entire Dome floor. 

The amount of people attending the show each year brings business to the restaurants and hotels in the Cedar Valley. The show also allows UNI to present the campus and facilities to many individuals who might not otherwise know anything about UNI. 

This show also proved to be an enjoyable weekend activity for some students. 

“The show is better than I expected, there is a variety of different things to look at,” Rachel Olson, senior business major said,  “People are so creative and I am especially interested in the different homemade décor.”

“I make each of these by hand,” Val said about her extensive pottery display. ”I am so lucky that my greatest passion can also be my business.”