PARKERSBURG - The 2012 Harvest Moon Arts and Crafts Festival will bring arts and crafts from around the region Saturday and Sunday at City Park in Parkersburg.
The 50th annual event will feature live entertainment both days, a variety of food vendors and more than 200 exhibitors and demonstrations. It will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Harvest Moon Festival is a major fundraiser of the Wood County Recreation Commission, said Wood County Recreation Commission Executive Director Vickie Marshall.
"All proceeds generated from this festival go toward the running of our programs throughout the year, which benefits the youth in our community," she said.
Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and children 10 and under are free. For more information, call 304-424-7311.
As part of this year's 50th anniversary of the festival, Marshall said new children's activities have been added to create the Kids Zone, including a stage of their own. There will also be inflatables and Crafts 2000 will be doing a make-it-take-it class for children.
Other activities include face painting, puppets and inflatables. Lions Club will hold eye exams Saturday and there will be a karaoke contest that day for children ages 5 to 12. The Wood County Sheriff's Kid Print ID program will be Sunday.
The Parkersburg Police Department will be providing child safety seat assistance at the City Park police substation during the festival. Officers will be at the police substation from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Parents, grandparents and guardians are encouraged to stop by the police substation and permit certified child safety seat technicians to help them ensure their car seats are properly installed. Expecting or new parents are also encouraged to stop by and learn how to properly secure a child in a vehicle.
"It's important to note that this is not an enforcement event, but rather an inspection and educational event designed to make sure our children are safe while traveling in a vehicle," said Sgt. Greg Collins, spokesman for the Parkersburg Police Department.
The festival is a juried show with about 185 booths of local and regional artists of all media, selling their products and demonstrating throughout the weekend, said Marshall.
People attending the festival can vote for their favorite exhibitor by filling out a ballot sheet at a designated area in the festival grounds to pick a "People's Choice Award" among the exhibitors. There will also be a "Tasters Choice Award" to vote on food samples.
The various materials being displayed and worked on include wood, candles, tole painting, photography, jewelry, lamps, totes, baskets, wreaths, soaps, furniture, body sprays, food and more. Some of the crafters will be giving demonstrations of their work during the festival.
Marshall said there are many returning exhibitors from past years and several new ones, including contemporary art, primitive art, candles, jewelry, leather, wood, food, baskets, quilts and other items.
