On Saturday, Aug. 14, and Sunday, Aug. 15, the popular Buckler’s Arts & Craft Show will return to the Lee Civic Center for the 18th year.
“We love Fort Myers,” said Buckler’s owner Margaret Buckler. “There are many crafters from all over the state and a surrounding four state area that attend. We also offer a discount for anyone that brings in a canned good, which goes to the local Harry Chapin Food Bank, a buy one and one free. It is a great cause.”
A wide range of crafters bring their wares to the event, from patriotic to household items, plants, pet items and unique gifts.
Margaret and her husband, Richard, are the owners.
“We’ve been doing this (craft fairs) for 21 years. I love the variety, the homemade items, the gourmet foods including homemade fudge and the handcrafted soaps and the home decor items. My home is decorated with all the unique and unusual decor you can find at a craft show.”
“It is a very laid back and enjoyable event for the public when they come,” said Lee Civic Center General Manager Artie McIntyre.
Local craft vendor Dick Rush is now getting ready for event. He and wife Sandra started making crafts nearly two decades ago.
“We started years ago in Indiana; we’ve been doing this for 18 years,” he said. “We’ve been doing the Buckler show seven years.”
He said he likes the venue and all involved.
“They advertise well and are nice people,” Rush said. “There’s a lot of holiday crafts — almost anything you would want. A lot of jewelry and clothes, too.”
He said 90 percent of his items are handmade, including what they call “Pumpkin Kits.”
“You get head, feet and a sign, which you put into a real or fake pumpkin for holiday decorating,” he said.
He has a witch, Frankenstein, Dracula and a bat, and for Thanksgiving a turkey.
“That can be used for Thanksgiving decorating or a table centerpiece.”
Another item is “Boo-Boo Bunny” — an ice pack made to take a boo-boo away.
The saying on the label is, “If you have a hurt that won’t go away, just call boo-boo bunny to kiss it away. Put ice in his pouch to take away the ouch and if you have tears just wipe them with boo-boo-ears.”
How did the Rush’s get started?
“When we were in Indiana we went to craft shows and Sandra would say ‘I can do that’ so we did,” he said.
The first item was a jar with a little pig doll in it and beans called Pork & Beans. They also made cookie mixes for a while, in a jar, layers of mixes. “Then all you had to do was mix it up.”
Everything changed considerable since we moved from Indiana, he said. “The little trinkets we did up there didn’t sell up here, so we changed what we were doing.”
Besides the Lee County show, the Rushes travel to Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda and West Palm Beach.
Times for The Buckler’s Arts & Craft Show will Saturday, Aug, 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission cost is $6 per person with children four to 12 a $1 admission, and a paid admission is good for all weekend with a handstamp. Discount coupons are available on the bucklercraftfair.com site.
The Lee Civic Center is located at 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers. For information, call 543-8368.