Regional holiday fairs abound in Northern New Mexico

Nov. 25—For Kathy Konecki, the annual Fiber Arts Fiesta is more than a place to sell her knitting wares.

"I really enjoy doing shows and meeting people and talking to them about fiber," she said at the Nov. 18 event at the Scottish Rite Center.

Such dialogue allows her to share the sacred secrets of the area's fiber arts: the friends who own alpacas and sheep that contribute to the preservation of weaving and knitting, the Mora mill that spins fibers and the Albuquerque specialist who expertly dyes them.

Holiday arts and crafts fairs, a trend in Northern New Mexico and nationwide, offer an opportunity for shoppers to purchase locally made gifts while experiencing a sense of community that can't be found at big box stores or online retailers.

They run from small fairs set up in churches and schools — even bars and breweries — to massive bazaars in convention center ballrooms. An array of vendors peddle everything from handcrafted tree ornaments and one-of-a-kind wearables to fine art and food products.

They have become holiday tradition all their own, drawing an increasing number of consumers who eschew online shopping for a chance to find an original treasure — and meet the person who made it.

They encourage the arts, a necessity for humanity, Konecki said.

"I think people really do want to support small business," said Brenda Archuleta, who was selling her products, Brenda's Botanicals, at the Holiday Craft Fair last weekend at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds.

She was set up amid jewelry makers, knitters, painters and other crafting experts at the Nov. 18 event.

"Here, there are so many unique gifts that you won't find at Walmart or TJ Maxx or Amazon, and the things in these markets are specific to New Mexico," she said, pointing to homemade biscochitos and ristras.

Business was good.

Customers prefer her incense, essential oils and salves to commercial products because they're recipes that have been passed through her Northern New Mexico lineage, Archuleta said.

A few booths over, Dominic Martinez of Delightful Crafts had sold out of handmade cat refrigerator magnets by mid-afternoon. The day had been busy, with consumers buying gnome pens, mini wreaths and reindeer ornaments made of cork, he said.

Holiday craft fair lovers who missed those early season events can rest assured many more will be held in Santa Fe and throughout the region in weeks to come.

The Light at Mission Viejo's annual Christmas Fair, scheduled for Saturday, draws about 800 people, said organizer and volunteer Patricia Sena-Gallegos.

The fair is in its third year and shows no signs of slowing down, she said, with holiday shoppers visiting 72 booths of artisans, including Native Americans, selling everything from crocheted items to tin metal work.

"The vendors come from all over the state of New Mexico — Gallup, Cloudcroft, Española, Las Vegas, Rio Rancho, Abiquiú. We always get so many compliments on our fair because we do so many fun things," Sena-Gallegos said, adding the event offers door prizes, a cake walk and a fundraiser to sponsor youth events.

'There's a story behind this scarf'

Tracey Poffenroth Prato was a bit unsure what she'd find when she stepped through the doors of the Scottish Rite Center for last weekend's Fiber Arts Fiesta, where more than 50 vendors offered products made from wool, silk, angora and musk ox — even seaweed and willow. Many of the items were crafted from recycled fibers.

"I wasn't sure if it would be grandma's doilies," said Poffenroth Prato, who made the trip to Santa Fe from Taos in hopes of finding holiday gifts.

To her surprise, she didn't find one doily. She also didn't find a gift. But she did find something for herself.

"I've been eyeing this scarf," Poffenroth Prato said, wrapping the colorful silk scarf around her neck. "It was the first thing I saw when I walked over here, and I kept going back. That's when you know you like something."

She also had a chance to learn about the scarf's creator, Suzie Fowler-Tutt, an Abiquiú folk artist who possesses three looms and a self-described heavy weaving addiction.

"There's a story behind this scarf, and her energy is woven into it," Poffenroth Prato said.

A few booths down, Konecki had her fiber "petting zoo" — a trifold cardboard display with photos of animals and swaths of knitted materials created from their fur.

"I ask people to touch them and tell me which is the softest," she said. "Of course, there is no right answer."

Her mother taught her to knit, Konecki said, and she returned to the craft after a 30-year career in "corporate America."

The Fiber Arts Fiesta has gained a reputation in its 11 years, she said, with a growing audience that's interested in not only buying, but also learning an art from the experts.

Fowler-Tutt is one such artist, weaving her Abiquiú fiber arts store, Studio Rama Seca, into existence during the pandemic's loneliest days.

"Customers like to talk to me about my color schemes and what inspires me," she said. "And I talk to them about how I use recycled fiber in all my pieces. I like natural fibers — wool, cashmere, silk, cotton, mohair, angora — whatever I can get my hands on."

Customers were lining up at the doors before they even opened, she said, and vendors quickly visited among each other's shops, swapping ideas and buying from each other.

"The whole world of fiber arts is fascinating, and it's a great time of year for something like this," said Ellchemi Ossorio, who stopped by Fowler-Tutt's booth with a friend.

Fairs of a different sort

Organizers are planning a different kind of fiber fair at Meow Wolf.

The Holiday Junk Journal Workshop, scheduled Dec. 3, accommodates only 20 participants. They will learn the art of handcrafting journals from upcycled materials, said Chauncey Foster, a spokesman for We Grow Eco, the nonprofit sponsoring the event. The group encourages positive environmental relationships through art, community unity and conservation education.

Fibers used are pulp paper products created using leftover clothing from the organization's clothing swaps, Foster said.

The $30 admission fee provides consumers with a lifetime lesson on folding papers, gluing and binding journals from textile waste and a chance to spend an afternoon with like-minded people.

"The experience people hope to have is doing something with waste material that's fun and creative," Foster said. "It a unique opportunity to make something to learn a skill and to engage with community and with a really cool, local nonprofit, and you get a journal out of it."

Foodies may enjoy a fair at The Kitchen Table Santa Fe, a commercial kitchen used by small businesses.

The Holiday Market on Saturday will center on food products like flavored butters, vegan cookies, gift-boxed biscochitos made with red and green chiles, hot sauces and cupcake-size cheesecakes, said Hilary Kilpatric, founder.

The market will also offer a line of freeze-dried products in conjunction with farmers market foods such as apples, pears and candies, she said. Consumers will also find artisan products like jewelry, ceramics and upcycled clothing.

"They're giftable food products and unique ones that are locally made. We're supporting small businesses that are in their fledgling state," Kilpatric said.

She prefers handmade specialty products for gifts, she added: "Something that speaks to where I'm from."

Santa Fe Brewing Co. on the city's south side is scheduled to host its third annual Winter Market on Saturday.

Evan Wrons, marketing director, said the family- and pet-friendly event has a suggested admission of $10, with the donations divided among three area nonprofits.

Organizers expect 1,000 people to be at the Winter Market at any given time throughout the day at the brewery's headquarters, 35 Fire Place, he said. It includes an indoor art walk, tree decorating, ugly sweater contests, an ornament decorating workshop, live music and food.

The event is a great way to support local merchants while contributing to nonprofits, Wrons said, adding past events have resulted in as much as $10,000 going to charity.

"Supporting local is always a good feeling," he said. "As a company we're also super supportive of that, and we try to do it in a way that authentically represents New Mexicans. To have these local events highlights experiences, builds community and keeps money in the local economy."