Emory & Henry College Arts & Crafts Fair Begins Nov. 11

The 2010 Emory & Henry Arts and Crafts Christmas Fair will host more than 50 vendors, several of whom are college employees, concentrating on handcrafted items.

The event will take place in the E&H Van Dyke Center from Nov. 11-13 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission to the fair is free.

The goods for sale are many handcrafted items, including baked goods, Christmas decorations and gifts, hand-turned pens, jewelry, note cards, pottery, prints, quilting, woodworking and wool items.

Again this year, a "Nightingale Sale" will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10. There will be a $3 admission charge to shop early before the fair opens on Thursday. Light refreshments will be served.

The event is hosted by the Emory & Henry College Community Club, which was formed in 1896 by a small group of women in the Emory community.

Beginning with a candy sale that netted $4.60, these women raised almost $3,000 over the next three years. In the early 1900s, the club built the west wing of Carriger Hall, firing a kiln for bricks made from clay from the campus.

They also donated $1,478 worth of seats for the building’s chapel. During the 1920s, the club focused on campus beautification. In 1927 the women undertook the industrious project of moving the Tobias Smyth House to the college campus. This house still serves as the club's official meeting site.

Proceeds from the 2010 Fair will provide scholarships for E&H students and maintenance support of the historic Tobias Smyth House. The Fair also benefits several area non-profit organizations, including emergency service agencies, a library, a medical clinic and Wildlife Habitat.

For more information, call 276-944-4017.