Our Lady of Consolation Parish will host its 36th annual craft fair on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Schneider Parish Center, 2995 Cemetery Road, Parkesburg. The event will feature items made by more than 40 artisans, crafters and vendors, along with food, children's activities and a visit by Santa.

Offered for sale will be wreaths, wooden flags, candles, jewelry, holiday decor, soaps, candles, crocheted and sewn items, pottery and personalized dog items. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a chair massage offered by one of the vendors.

Food items offered for sale will include homemade chicken corn soup and Italian wedding soup. "Our soups are the big draw," said the parish's director of religious education, Janice Dagney, who is also one of the event organizers. "We will also have gourmet chicken salad and our famous quiches." For dessert, there will be baked goods, including homemade nut rolls, as well as kettle corn.

"(The craft fair is) something people look forward to. Some people come for the food alone," said Dagney.

Santa will also stop by for a visit and sit for pictures from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A nominal fee will be charged. "We will take the picture and email it to (the parents)," noted Dagney.

Visitors can enter to win door prizes throughout the day. Winners do not have to be present to claim their prize. "Each of our crafters donates an item, so we will have more than 40 different prizes throughout the day," Dagney said.

The craft fair is sponsored by Our Lady of Consolation Early Learning Center (OLC-ELC), with proceeds going to support the school's scholarship fund. "The staff and families of the OLC-ELC have organized the annual event for over 15 years. It is one of the longest-running craft fairs in the area," Dagney pointed out.

She noted that the craft fair was held outdoors in 2020 because of the pandemic. "In 2021, we (had crafters) inside and outside to allow for social distancing. This is our first time back inside," said Dagney.

OLC-ELC, which opened in 2002, is located in the lower level of the Schneider Parish Center, and it offers preschool programs for children ages 2 through 5. Also offered are a wide variety of extended-day options for enrolled children, including before- and after-school care.

For more information about the craft fair or the Early Learning Center, contact Dagney at 610-857-0511 or jdagney@olcchurch.org. More information is also available on the Facebook event page titled "Our Lady of Consolation Early Learning Center Annual Craft Fair."