Crafter Saturdays in Marengo designed as unique way to shop goods from local crafters

The Crafter Saturdays lineup in Marengo's Calvin Spencer Park is meant to be a fun way to shop a wide array of goods from local crafters and artisans through the end of October, organizer and Marengo resident Rebecca Olson said.

Olson said she came up with the idea to bring a weekly craft fair to Marengo while looking for a way to sell her own handcrafted wood pieces locally.

A fan of farmers markets, she thought Crafter Saturdays would be a way to support area crafters while also offering a variety of quality, handmade items to shoppers, Olson said in an interview.

"I saw a need for local crafters to have a place to share their awesome stuff with the community, and the response ended up being overwhelming," she said in an email.

After just one Saturday, the weekly event has doubled in size to feature products from 32 different crafters in the area, as well as an educational crafting station with projects for any kids who want to tag along, Olson said.

“It's amazing the things that these people make,” Olson said. “Some of these crafters have just amazing talent. It's so cool to see it out and about. And the people of Marengo came out and checked it out and just loved it.”

Kids also can visit with their favorite Disney princess characters, including Moana and Elsa and Anna, she said. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday through the end of October, with the exception of Oct. 10.

On Oct. 3, Serna's Grill, a food truck from Franklin Park, will offer burgers, sandwiches and more, Olson said.

Olson's own business, DBA Creations, will have a booth at the event with some of her handcrafted wooden signs, she said.

After the winter months, Olson said she hopes to start Crafter Saturdays back up in April and continue it through summer and fall next year.