Annual Weiser bazaar is a fall favorite

A steady stream of shoppers browsed and many found treasures to buy at the Second Chance Fall Bazaar along Highway 95 near Weiser, an outdoor event every October that keeps growing.

 The cooler temperatures and overcast skies that threatened showers on Friday and Saturday didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of shoppers or the 65 vendors and artisans.

 Merry Freelove, of Wilder, and her grandson Dakota Johnson, of Nampa, who sell “a little bit of everything,” said they were busy on Friday. They set up their tables and canopy on Thursday night and put stuff out for sale on Friday morning.

 Freelove has been doing the Weiser fall bazaar for the past eight or nine years. It’s the only bazaar she sells at anymore, she said.

 “We come every year for this. We love it,” she said. “It’s been great. We’ve been keeping busy.”

 The fall bazaar was hosted by Second Chance consignment store co-owners Todd Davies and Darin Baltrusch. This was the 11th year for the event and it attracted vendors from Weiser, Nampa, Caldwell, Boise, Ontario and elsewhere.

 The Fall Bazaar is always scheduled for the first Friday and Saturday in October. It’s usually the first bazaar in the area and kind of kicks off the season.

 Davies and Baltrusch invite a variety of vendors, including many local artists and crafters, along with antique dealers and other retailers, to set up booths next to their big red barn store. 

 “It’s fun to have the locally made and reasonably priced stuff here,” Baltrusch said.

 Starting in September, the cooler weather sends people indoors after a summer spent outside. People start thinking once again about home décor, Baltrusch said

 That, and people are starting to think about buying holiday gifts.

 Weiser crafter Jody Buckley had shoppers thinking about the upcoming holidays with her colorful Christmas tree ornaments. She used a unique technique to decorate the ornaments. Alcohol ink is applied to the surface of the ornament. She used compressed air to move the ink around. When the alcohol evaporates, the glossy ink remains. She also does welcome signs too for home décor.

 Mark your calendar for these other bazaars and festivals coming up.

 The Midvale Fall Festival will be held this Saturday, Oct. 13, in Midvale. The Midvale Merc is sponsoring food contests and the winners will receive gift certificates. 

 The Midvale pool committee is sponsoring a  chili cookoff and a cornhole toss. 

 Anyone who wants to set up a table to sell items in the park can do so for a minimum $5 donation to the pool for each table. The Midvale community pool is totally supported by donations and fundraising.

 The annual Cambridge Art and Craft Sale will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 9-10, at the Washington County Fairgrounds exhibit hall. Applications for vendor space may call Kaye York Gallery in Cambridge at 208-257-3277 or Megan Warren 208-250-1385. 

 The big Weiser fall event is the annual Fine Art and Crafts Fair, a holiday shopping staple for 40 years. The sale is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Library in Weiser and the Four County Art Guild.

 This year the fair will be held Nov. 16-17 at the Vendome Events Center. The event attracts more than 50 vendors annually, filling the Vendome and the hallways.

 A few tables are still available for vendors. For more information, contact Pat at the Weiser Public Library at 208-549-1243.