Winooski School District PTO Holiday Craft and Vendor Fair to return this Saturday, November 18
This Saturday, November 18th, the Winooski Craft and Vendor Fair will return to the Winooski School District.
The fair has been put on as a fundraiser for the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) that encompasses all three schools of the Winooski School District. The table fees once paid by vendors were a large source of annual funding for the organization, says PTO president Laura Lee.
Now making its comeback in 2023, the Holiday Craft and Vendor Fair will run from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the school with free admission and parking. Lee says the PTO anticipates parking being limited and is encouraging anyone who can walk or carpool to do so.
Due to a two-tiered hiatus brought on by COVID-19 and school renovations under the Capital Project, this year will be the event’s first one back in the space since before the pandemic.
“It had been a yearly event for many, many years prior to COVID and the construction. But we hope for this year to be a start to another many, many years” said Lee.
Lee says the PTO is excited to welcome the Winooski community into the school building’s new space on Saturday. Over 100 Vermont vendors will be set up in the main lobby, spilling into the cafeteria and gymnasium to peddle goods ranging from soap to knitwear. Each vendor has donated an item to be raffled off in gift baskets through a PTO raffle.
“We're just really excited.” Lee said enthusiastically. “We're excited to give the crafters the opportunity to be back and to give the community an opportunity to come shopping and to see the new school at the same time.”
Lee said patrons should come for the food, if not for the goods;
“There's some really great local folks who have small businesses that are going to be serving up some really awesome food that represents our community and we're really excited.”
Food vendors in attendance will include Country Roads Jamacian Flair LLC, Empress Levi Vegan Soul Food, the Somali cuisine of Hajiya Nuriya, and The Dizzy Dozen Donuts.
“The money that we earn, we give back to the school in the form of funds requested from teachers for celebrations for students and requests for field trips and different material requests and things like that. Staff appreciation events, all kinds of stuff,” said Lee.
As a parent of a second grader and seventh grander, Lee said she’s been involved in the PTO out of an appreciation for the community the district fosters for her kids;
“I feel like being a part of the PTO is a way to help. You know, additional resources come to the classroom and to students as well as to bring those moments of joy to both the kids and the staff.”
For more information about Saturday’s event, you can visit the Winooski School District PTO’s Facebook page.
