CraftWestport at Staples High School attracted vendors from all over the Northeast and shoppers from around the region over the weekend. The craft fair, sponsored by the Young Woman’s League of Westport, returned this year after a two-year pandemic hiatus.
Etienne Perret of Camden, Maine, shows his jewelry to Kathleen Wolfe of New Canaan and daughter, Isabelle, who gave a “thumbs up” to the purchase. / Photos by Gretchen Webster
Two past presidents of the Westport Young Woman’s League, Janet Dziekonski, left, and Meg Himes were in charge of the lost-and-found and volunteer tables at CraftWestport, which the group has sponsored for 45 years.

By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — CraftWestport, a 45-year tradition paused two years during the pandemic, opened its doors again last weekend to thousands of browsers and shoppers at Staples High School. 

More than 2,000 people visited the fair Saturday alone, said Meg Himes, a past president of the Westport Young Woman’s League, sponsors of the two-day event.

“Everybody is so happy to get back to normal,” Himes said Sunday, adding that she and many of the league’s 150 members spent the weekend helping manage the show. She and another past president, Janet Dziekonski, were registering volunteers who came to help out at the event Sunday.

Aiden Schachter, 16, a Staples High School junior, explained how his unusual “led cloud” light fixtures work to Bonnie Pazer of Ridgefield. / Photos by Gretchen Webster
The Felis family farms 517 acres of maple trees in Dorset, Vt., tapping more than 11,000 trees this year for maple syrup and products, according to Austin Felis. His daughters Sophia, 9, left, and Juniper, 6, help in the farm’s bottling plant, he said.

The crafts show had 175 vendors from all over the Northeast displaying everything from maple syrup to homemade doggie treats; from baked goods, to handcrafted wooden spoons, to clothing and jewelry.

Many out-of-town shoppers were drawn to the sale by its reputation throughout the region.

An array of all kinds of wooden spoons hangs in the booth of Johnathan Simmons of Kempton, Pa., one of the more unusual displays at CraftWestport. / Photo by Gretchen Webster

Aiden Schachter, 16, a junior at Staples, said he was told he is the youngest vendor to ever participate in the craft fair. Schachter has started a business — ledcloudlight.com — selling decorative hanging light fixtures that resemble colorful clouds.

Another vendor with an unusual product was Johnathan Simmons from Kempton, Pa., who has sold all sorts of wooden spoons at the Staples show for 15 years.

The Westport Young Woman’s League uses the proceeds from the CraftWestport to fund community grants, according to Julianne Bochinski, the chairwoman of this year’s event. It nets as much as $90,000 per year, she said.  

“Business has been great this year,” Simmons said from inside his booth covered with hundreds of wooden spoons. “There are very few people that are spoon makers.” 

Westporter Joyce Losen said she has visited the show every year, and missed the last two years when the show was paused during the pandemic. “I’m very happy it’s come again,” she said.

Joyce Losen of Westport, standing, looks over hand-thrown pottery made by Sally Rothchild of Woodstock, N.Y.
Bridget Flynn, left, vice president of the Young Woman’s League of Westport, and Julianne Bochinski, chairwoman of this year’s CraftWestport, welcome visitors at the show’s door. The club uses proceeds from the event to support its community grants to area nonprofits. / Photos by Gretchen Webster

Bridget Flynn, the league’s vice president, added that the group is open to new members. Women 21 years old and over from anywhere in Fairfield County can join, she said.

For more information, including how to become a member, visit the Westport Young Woman’s League website.

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Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist and journalism teacher for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman newspaper for 10 years and currently teaches journalism at Southern Connecticut State University.

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