Bazaar coming to First Congregational Church
More than 70 vendors selling a wide variety of arts, crafts, flowers and local baked goods will converge on the First Congregational Church at 312 Santa Barbara Blvd. on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the church’s biggest event of the year.
The fourth-annual bazaar has been a big winner for the church since its inception, having sold out all its vendor locations the previous three years, said Sharon Spencer, events coordinator at the First Congregational Church.
“We have a huge variety of things. we don’t do manufactured stuff. We limit it to handcrafted items, collectibles, art, we have a produce and local flower vendor,” Spencer said. “We will also have lunch and a huge bake sale.
Spencer said the event was born out of the church holding flea markets in the past, but they became too intense. Spencer had been to many craft shows and decided it would be better if they had vendors bring stuff in.
“They could sell their wares, takes their money home and that would be our best way to serve the community, give them a place to sell their wares and bring them to the church for families,” Spencer said. “I’ve always organized events.”
The event will also feature a “Tool Shed” with the Church Guys, which will feature numerous good used tools and sporting goods to give the guys something to do other than fatten up at the bake sale while the wives shop.
There will also be a Mega-Raffle where more than $800 worth of merchandise will be given away, including 10 gift certificates to local businesses plus a $125 hand-crafted wreath as the grand prize.
They include tickets to the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Navigator Marina Wilderness Cruise, a prize package for the Shell Factory and much more, Spencer said.
All proceeds from vendor space rentals, baked goods, the mega-raffle and tool shed will benefit the church and its charities, Spencer said. Last year’s event brought in hundreds, with people parking at the Kiwanis and the Masonic Lodge parking lots.