Craft, Food and Wine Holiday Show draws abundance of vendors and shoppers in Potsdam

Dec. 5—POTSDAM — More than 100 vendors collided with thousands of shoppers Saturday at SUNY Potsdam's Maxcy Hall.

The doors to the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Craft, Food and Wine Holiday Show opened at 10 a.m. to a steady stream of eager gift-seekers escaping the nasty late fall weather and kicking off local Christmas shopping.

Mike Stanford and Gretchen M. Anderson represented Tug Hill Estate, offering wine and spirit samplings.

Tug Hill Estate in Lowville is a farm winery, a distillery, a cidery and an event venue, Ms. Anderson, the company's brand ambassador, said.

Tug Hill has been attending many shows recently, Ms. Anderson said. They have been to shows in Watkins Glen, Binghamton and Syracuse, before coming to Potsdam.

Tug Hill Estate, which offers a popular Sunday brunch, has been in operation since 2007, but has been operating with new owners for the last two years.

Tug Hill Estate has recently introduced its spirits line with brandies, rums and vodkas and will be expanding its cider offerings, Ms. Anderson said.

In Potsdam, the goal for Mr. Stanford and Ms. Anderson was to sell some wine but to also spread the word about the company. Tug Hill products have yet to be available in St. Lawrence County Liquor stores, Ms. Anderson said.

There is more information available at Tughillvineyards.com.

Katherine Deuell, of Potsdam, was displaying her Winky Salts products for just the second time.

Her business is so new she has not developed a web presence.

Ms. Deuell said she is originally from Newfoundland, Canada, where seasoned salts are more common.

The craft market was a good way to see what is popular, she said, noting that her Tuscan blend was doing well.

"People of the north country are very supportive of local businesses," she said.

Customers respond well when she tells them she operates out of Potsdam.

She said seasoned salts are good for finishing food and rimming cocktail glasses.

Katie Schuler of Schuler Woodworks was offering some of her smaller items at her booth.

The former Parishville-Hopkinton art teacher creates custom furniture, artwork, jewelry and functional household items.

Her smaller items, she said, are made mostly from cutoff pieces of wood from her bigger projects.

"I can't throw them out or burn them," she said.

The chamber craft market was her first indoor show, she said. She will be doing her second in Syracuse next week.

She works mostly in maple or oak, she said, because that is what is available locally.

Ms. Schuler said she wasn't that fond of mass-producing items so she limits her smaller works to just what she can make from her scrap pieces.

Potential customers can contact Ms. Schuler to work on custom projects at schulerwood.com.

Brooke Rouse, chamber director of tourism, said 120 vendors were using 150 booths on Saturday.

The show returned to Maxcy Hall for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.