SANDPOINT — From handmade ornaments to holiday treats, over 80 vendors will pack the halls of the Bonner County Fairgrounds for its annual Christmas Craft Fair this weekend. 

Mark Knapp, director of the Bonner County Fairgrounds, said it's their goal every year to bring the holiday spirit to the region with a family-friendly event. It won’t be a usual craft fair, Knapp said the fairgrounds staff has spent decorating the 15,000 square feet facility with trees and lights. 

"It's not someone else that we hire to bring in. We do a lot of work to do this here,” Knapp said. “That’s our way to be a part of the community and to put something on for the community.” 

There will also be a kid's craft area where children will be able to make a gift, do some coloring, or write a letter to Santa. Knapp said his favorite part of putting on the event is seeing the kids having fun and the positive feeling the holidays generate.  

In addition to crafts, Knapp said the icons of Christmas will be in attendance. Children will be able to get their photo taken with Santa Claus for both days of the event, and his trusty reindeer will be out front from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. 

"The big guy is busy!” Knapp said. “I want people to enjoy themselves and I think this is a chance for someone to do something different, something community orientated. 

At the event, the Sandpoint Rodeo Committee will have a booth where residents can donate unwrapped toys for the on-going Toys for Tots drive headed by the Sandpoint Lions Club. The Bonner Community Food Bank will also be represented, with residents being able to drop non-perishable food items in bins around the grounds.  

For Knapp and the fairgrounds crew, this year will be an even more special event, held in honor of former fairgrounds manager Rhonda Livingstone, who passed away in 2019. Knapp said the initial craft fair was Livingstone’s idea, and it’s important for them to keep her legacy alive. 

"If we don’t continue to honor certain practices that great people have done, it fades away,” Knapp said. “We want to honor that person, bring local artists in to do that, bring the public and get the public involved. We just want to honor those traditions.” 

The Christmas Craft Fair runs through this weekend, Nov. 22 and Nov. 23. On both days the fairgrounds will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

“Come out and support your local vendors, local folks and have a bit of fun,” Knapp said. “Families can come down here and both parents and kids alike can find something here and enjoy themselves.”