Vendors flock to Fin and Feather Fall Festival

Sep. 22—About 30,000 visitors visit the Fin and Feather Resort's Fall Festival each year, and they come for all sorts of reasons, organizer Lezli Pool said.

"It's certainly tradition," she said. "But it's a great atmosphere, indoor, outdoor. A lot of people come and look for their favorite vendors and also just to see what's new."

This year's festival, which runs Friday through Sunday, will feature 160 vendors offering crafts, food, skincare items, even bubblegum, Pool said.

"We have a lot of our favorite vendors returning, and we also have a lot of our new vendors bringing new things for people to see," she said. "And we have a new food truck. That's always exciting."

Caleb and Asma Whitekiller of Park Hill will sell homemade Unwind bubblegum, as well as as organic skincare items.

Caleb Whitekiller said they began making bubblegum because they wanted to do something light and fun. He said his wife learned to develop, source and make the gum.

"Over the past year, she learned how to develop and source and make bubblegum," he said, adding that the gum has cannabidiol (CBD) and a peppermint flavor.

Whitekiller said the gum has good anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to help quit smoking.

He said his wife has been making skincare products for 10 years.

"The whole skincare line began because she was pregnant and in Korea," Whitekiller said, recalling that her skin broke out and nothing could help it.

"She asked her grandmother for advice, and her grandmother told her to put some warm olive oil and sugar together," he said. "She basically took that and ran with it, and for the past 10 years has been developing all kinds of different products. She has a mineral sunscreen, she has an underarm bar that doubles as a deodorant."

The Whitekillers also will sell shower steamers, which go under showers.

"Everyone else was making bath bombs, and she wants to do something different that's more family friendly, because basically, the guys don't like to take baths," Caleb Whitekiller said. "She basically made it into a puff you can hang under the shower and sprinkle with water. You can breathe in the steam and it helps your lungs out."

Pool said there are many other new vendors.

Tee Thompson of Broken Arrow will bring his Tee's Trees, which are made of wire and beads.

Pool said Joe Dorr of Vian "is a wood turner and has some beautiful wooden bowls."

"He makes other things besides bowls, and they're just gorgeous," she said.

Terry Wilson of Sallisaw makes wooden cutting boards.

Tamara Fuller of Warner makes gourd art.

New food vendors will sell Indian tacos and succotash.

Returning food favorites include roasted corn, baked potatoes, funnel cakes. George Sevier of Muskogee will sell corn dogs and lemonade.

The festival draws crafters and vendors from other states, including California and Florida,

If you go

WHAT: Fin and Feather Fall Festival.

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: Fin and Feather Resort, 445889 Oklahoma 10A, Gore.