St. Mary Fall Fest Craft Show Features 53 Artists from Southeast Michigan

Just in time for the holidays, artists across Southeast Michigan will converge on St. Mary Parish in Chelsea for the seventh annual Fall Fest & Craft Show on Oct. 20.

The show features 53 vendors selling everything from woodworking crafts and pottery, to candy, breads, and seasonal decorations.

"Our show is right on the edge of the holiday season, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, so there's plenty of reason to come out and shop," event chairwoman Lana Leisinger said.

Leisinger said the event, which is a fundraiser for the church, has grown expotentially every year.

"We went from a handful of visitors to more than 300 people last year," she said.

In addition to the vendors, shoppers can enjoy a bake sale and a luncheon with hot dogs, chips, and beverages.

The church is located at 14200 E. Old US-12. There is a $2 admission fee for adults 18 and older, which Leisinger said is put back into the church's budget to help fund retreats for parishioners, as well as provide donations to local nonprofits.

"We started taking admission last year to help our bottom line," she said. "Very rarely are craft shows free to attend anymore due to the expense."

In addition to the vendors, customers can also purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win various prize baskets donated by Chelsea businesses. Proceeds from the raffle sales benefit the St. Louis Center, a residential care center for individuals with developmental needs, and the Faith in Action food pantry, which serves Chelsea and Dexter.

"We couldn't survive without the help of our local businesses," Leisinger said. "Our business men and women are wonderful and they support us very well."

For more information, call 734-475-7561.