It’s beginning to look a lot like crafting

Santa Claus and his elves may not be ready to come to town just yet, but several holiday craft fairs are.

A Touch of Class kicks off the annual holiday craft fairs and boutiques Oct. 28-30 at the Carson Valley Inn.

Many of the fairs are celebrating traditions and are eager to return after the Coronavirus restrictions last year.

A Touch of Class is celebrating 20 years in Carson Valley.

Sue Bennett began A Touch of Class 20 years ago by turning her home into a holiday boutique. According to atouchofclass.org Bennett would completely remove all of her furniture and displayed and sold one-of-a-kind items created by local crafters around her home.

The four-day show became a popular shopping experience for many, but also became a tremendous amount of work and wear and tear on Bennett’s home. That’s when the boutique was moved to the Carson Valley Inn, where it has been known to be for going on for several years.

A Touch Class supports many local organizations through its proceeds including The Douglas County Food Pantry, Kids Fishing Derby, Ruhenstroth Fire Department, Austin’s House, City of Hope, The Douglas County Explores, and the Boys and Girls Club.

More than 20 different crafters’ handmade work will be displayed this year without booths to give shoppers the experience of a boutique. Shoppers can expect to find hand turned wood, cement planters, fused glass, Thanksgiving, Fall and Christmas items and gifts, kitchen accessories and home decor, handwoven and crocheted scarfs and blankets, jewelry and more.

New this year is Kids Corner which will feature handmade crafts by children ages 8-16 years old.

A Touch of Class crafting boutique will be 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 28-30 at the Carson Valley Inn Ballroom. Admission is free with hourly door prizes. For more information visit atouchofclassnv.org

St. Gall Catholic Church will host its holiday boutique Nov. 6. Holiday decorations and gift ideas can be found along with a special gift purchasing room for children to shop for family and friends. The holiday boutique is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov 6 at the church, 1343 Centerville Lane in Gardnerville. For more information call 775-782-2852.

Right next door is the Carson Valley Methodist Church’s 40-year-old Heavenly Holiday Faire featuring hundreds of hand-crafted gifts, holiday décor, baked goods, candy and more. Santa Claus will visit the Carson Valley during this time and read stories with kids before heading home to finish up his preparations. After story time with Santa kids can shop the “Kids Only” market. All shoppers can look forward to a chili lunch and a silent auction.

The 2021 Heavenly Holiday Craft Fair will be 9 a.m-4 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Methodist Church, 1375 Centerville Lane, Gardnerville. For more information call 775-782-4600.

The following weekend the gym, dining room, halls and classrooms of the Douglas County Community Center will be overrun with at least 100 local craft vendors for the Young At Heart’s annual Holiday Craft Fair.

Young At Heart member Kathryn Clark said the craft fair has been something the community looks forward to for many years and after having to cancel due to the coronavirus restrictions last year, everyone is looking forward to the return of the shopping experience.

Clark said the craft fair was created by Ester Hildebrand to be used as a fundraiser for the local senior and community center and soon grew into one of the most looked forward to holiday shopping experiences in the Valley with 100 vendors from around the region offering top quality handmade crafts including painted pottery and wood, knitted and crocheted quilts, blankets and clothing, and more.

Clark said she buys all her Christmas gifts here.

“I’ve shopped it every year,” said Clark. “I always find something at the craft fair. If you like to give original homemade gifts the craft fair is the place to go.”

The YAH Craft fair will be 5-8 p.m. Nov 12 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Douglas County Community Center, 1329 Waterloo Lane, Gardnerville.

Proceeds from the fair support local soup programs and other services for Senior Citizens in Douglas County. Admission and parking are free. For more information email YAH.craftfair@gmail.com or call 775-266-8781.