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ALTON – For 28 years, the Alton Band and Orchestra Builders’ Olde Alton Arts and Craft Fair has served as one of community’s most beloved events that supports such an excellent cause. With the arrival of the holiday season, it is time to begin making those necessary holiday purchases. Fortunately, the fair could not have come at a better time.
Over 200 booths set up shop for the weekend within the hallways and common areas at Alton High School. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, the halls were packed with determined shoppers looking for the most unique gifts for everyone special to them this holiday season.
Amy Hillery, President of ABOB, has been a part of the organization for over 13 years now.
“We’re just packed to the gills with arts, crafts, anything you might need for holiday gifts, food, jewelry, home décor; the list goes on,” Hillery said.
The Alton Band and Orchestra Builders supports the Alton School District’s starting with beginning band in fourth grade all the way up to high school. “Our budget includes the Marching 100, band and orchestra at all levels,” she said. “We have about a $75,000 budget and this fair makes up about one-third of it. If we didn’t have the support of the community for this, it would really hurt the program. We are so lucky that this community comes out every year and supports us.”
Works from artists like Ashlee Sosa of Oh So Fabulous, Abbley Market’s Ashley Schaab, Amanda Hamblin’s Hoot and Holler Creations, Reed’s Woodworking and Laser Engraving, Elise Szarek and Stephanie Leiber’s Sugar Drop Creations, as well as Terry Ford’s Items of All Kinds and hundreds of others sold some of their handmade items at the craft fair.
A new item coming from this year’s fair is the new ABOB calendar, featuring the work of local photographers and some very talented band and orchestra members.
Cortney Frosch, another ABOB member, was on hand selling the calendar to the craft fair’s visitors.
“We had some amazing local photographers that were willing to donate photographs all of the RiverBend,” Frosch said.
“At least $10 profit goes back to the kids, which is a great profit margin. It’s a 2017 calendar and I can’t say enough about how beautiful this calendar is.”
Marty McKay, Jennifer Grassle, Julie Carter and Erin Hillery all contributed photographs to the calendar while local businesses sponsored amazing fundraising item.
Calendars were for sale for $15 at the Old Alton Arts and Craft Fair. They can also be purchased by contacting Cortney via email at cyfrosch@gmail.com.
Frosch would also like to invite online shoppers using Amazon to first visit the ABOB website at http://www.abob.net and click on the Amazon shopping link. 6 to 10 percent of each of the sales made through this link benefits the organization at no extra cost to the shopper.
The fair will be open again for shopping from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Alton High School is located at 4200 Humbert Rd. in Alton.
