Annual craft fair survives for another year

Chris and Leora Castillo have been coming to the Colusa Holiday Craft Faire and Gift Show for a few years and were in search of a knit hat for their 5-month-old son Myles this time around.

A couple dresses caught the eyes of their daughters, Carleigh, 8, and Nora, 3, while the snacks were the main draw for papa Castillo.

"We come for the kettle corn and the fudge, that's how they got me here," Chris Castillo said.

About a year ago, there was no certainty that the Castillo or anyone else would even have the annual faire to go to at all.

Colusa County Fairgrounds officials had distributed letters to all the vendors at last year's event that 2011 was going to be the last show.

Instead, the fairgrounds opened up the rights to put on the show, and a familiar face showed up. Former fairgrounds executive Carolan Meek won the bid and a 26th show was saved.

How it worked out financially depends on who is asked, but the fairgrounds seemed to be busy on Saturday, but a little less so on Sunday.

Marilyn Andersen of Yuba City set up her booth selling handmade costume jewelry and other items she crafted, but was a little disappointed in her sales.

Andersen began her crafting business about a year ago and it was her first time at Colusa. She is a regular at craft fairs, mostly in the foothills around Browns Valley and Oregon House.

Other venders had a more luck.

Paris Coggins and Stacy Jenkin sold about $1,500 of personal defense products, such as pepper spray and stun guns, at the Damsel in Defense booth.

Coggins, who was born in Colusa but lives in Lodi, and Jenkin, who lives in Sacramento, are contractors for Damsel in Defense which is about a year old.

The faire was more busy on Saturday but sales were still coming in on Sunday, Jenkin said.