by Shannon Edinger
Calling all crafters! Fall craft sales and festivals are ready to showcase local crafts throughout Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.
HOLIDAY BOTIQUE
The St. Timothy’s Women’s Club of St. Timothy Catholic Church, located at 17512 Lakeshore Rd. in Lutz, seeks participants for its Holiday Boutique. It started out as a small craft fair in 1988, and has since expanded and changed its name.
Joanna Stomski, a member of the women’s club, has been in charge of the event two years in a row. “We are looking for more handmade crafting such as quilting, knitted items, and floral arrangements,” Stomski says. “We are no longer taking any more commercial items or homemade jewelry.”
Spaces cost $60 for a table and two chairs inside, and $50 for an outdoor space. Proceeds go to non-profit organizations such as Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, and the Salvation Army. There are 67 indoor spaces and 106 outdoor spaces. So far, there have been 145 spaces filled this year.
The Holiday Boutique has a reputation for treating its vendors well. “We have a lot of volunteers that help vendors unload their stuff, show them where to park, and even sit in a vendor’s space if he or she needs to get up for a little while,” Stomski says. “Our volunteers are courteous and hospitable to our vendors.”
The Holiday Boutique will take place on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be about 150 craft and quality item vendors, a bake sale, a plant sale, a raffle for Bucs or Rays sports quilt, food, and music. There is free admission and free parking. For more information, call Joanna Stomski at (813) 909-4469, or e-mail .
OUR LADY OF THE 
ROSARY SHOW
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, located at 2348 Collier Pkwy. Land O’ Lakes, will have a parking lot craft sale on Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to noon.
Doreen Ward, a parishioner of the church, started the craft sale last February with her sister, Colleen, and will be in charge of sale again this fall. “We eventually hope to have the sale twice a year in the fall and spring,” Ward says.
The most common craft at the sale is jewelry, but Ward hopes to get more holiday crafters and artwork this year for a variety of crafts.
Spaces are about the size of a parking space and are $10 per vendor and $5 for each additional space. All profits will go to the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pregnancy Center. Last year, Ward raised $800. There will also be a truck from Gulfside Regional Hospice to collect any leftover donations after the sale.
“We want people to come out and see what we have,” Ward says. “There are good prices for good quality stuff.”
For more information, call Doreen Ward at (813) 997-1045.
CRAFTOBER FEST
CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church, located at 26211 County Line Road in Wesley Chapel, will host Craftoberfest on Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CrossRoads Community UMC has held fall festivals in the past, but this is the first year the festival will include craft vendors. Randy Sawyer, a parishioner of the church, is in charge of the event. He, along with 10 other parishioners, will use the money raised at Craftoberfest to buy supplies and go on a mission trip to Kabaale Village in Uganda this December.
Indoor spaces are $30, and outdoor spaces are $25. Tables may be rented based on availability. The church will prepare food and there will be 50+ volunteers helping out the day of the festival.
“There will be an array of crafts, including handmade jewelry, designer inspired purses, ornaments, rag quilts, clothing, Fine Chocolates from PattyCakes and specialty embroidered items from Sew Fortunate,” Sawyer says.
There will be a pumpkin patch and four large inflatables from Happy Jumping for the kids. “It will be something the whole family can enjoy,” Sawyer says. “It’s important to give the community something to do in their own backyard without breaking their wallets.”
For more information, e-mail Randy Sawyer at .
BRIDGEWATER FALL FESTIVAL
Bridgewater Fall Festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival will be held in the Bridgewater Community Park on the corner of Masena Drive and Sotra Street in the Bridgewater Community off Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.
Lynne Tonte is in charge of the festival. This will be the second year the festival takes place. “We want to bring people into the community,” Tonte says. “Bringing families out is the focus.” There are four schools within a mile of the Bridgewater Community Park.
There will be a gaming bus from Games2u, a 4-D theater, hamster inflatable interactive balls, laser tag, a rock climbing wall, a giant slide, safety exhibits from the Sheriff’s office, food from Woody’s Pizza and Bagelicious, and many other vendors this year.
Tonte is looking for more crafters and home-based business vendors this year.
Parking is limited at the park, so additional parking will be at the nearby schools. Hayrides from the parking lot to the festival will be available.
It is free admission, but there is a small fee for some activities in the festival. All profits will benefit the Helping Hands Food Pantry.
For more information, e-mail Lynne Tonte at .
