Artisan Sale: What’s new and different?

The new location of the Artisan Sale is in the History & Heritage Center on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. One of the first things that you’ll notice is the large number of windows and glass doors letting in a lot of natural light. When you walk inside, you will also see that there are clerestory windows adding to that light. With the change in event date to mid-October, there will be plenty of that daylight since we will still be on Daylight Savings Time. Perhaps we will be treated to fabulous fall weather and have some open doors as well.

Parking will be close by on the streets of the Fairgrounds and at a small nearby parking lot. Loading and unloading for the sales participants will be easy, with the ability to drive up to the building to a temporary unloading zone.

The demonstrations of spinning and weaving are planned to be in the same space as the sale instead of out in a hallway. That will create a great connection between process and product.

The displays will be changing as well since we will not be able to put nails in the walls. Free standing display pieces are being created by repurposing bulletin boards from the Guild where the classrooms were redesigned. Grid walls are also being added as additional vertical display.

What is not changing is the opportunity to come together with other wonderful fiber people to create, educate and have a good time. We are looking forward to a great sale in October!

–Kala Exworthy teaches weaving and dyeing at WGM, and loves working with color. She volunteers on the Artisan Sale revisioning team. See her work at the Northrup King Building.