Storm Mountain Holiday Bazaar returns to the canyon this weekend

The annual Storm Mountain Holiday Bazaar is back this weekend, and it is one of those valley traditions that rewards the short drive down the canyon. Local artisans fill the Big Thompson Canyon Association Building with handmade items, and the shopping comes with free hot cider and cookies.

The bazaar runs Saturday, November 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, November 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The building is a historic log structure at 1479 US Highway 34, about one mile east of Drake.

What I like about a bazaar like this one is the part you cannot get online. You talk to the person who made the thing. The artisans this year include quilters, jewelers, a stained glass maker, candle makers, potters, wood carvers, and a younger generation of crafters working in crochet, jewelry, and 3D printing. There are fall and winter items as well as pieces made for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

A few names to look for: Deb Green brings small quilted items with wildlife, lodge, and seasonal themes. Carolyn and Ed Ostransky bring jewelry, baskets, gourds, knitted items, antler crafts, and wood carvings. Frances Lindquist brings stained glass and wind chimes. Jennifer Meyers brings Storm Mountain Candles in autumn favorites and holiday classics. Megan Holloway and Liz Gosnell bring cards, prints, ornaments, blown glass, sourdough, honey, sugar cookies, and cupcakes.

Saturday only, Rhonda Jeanneret and her granddaughters bring 3D printed items, Andrea Schledewitz brings pottery, and Bill Harvey brings carving boards, wood planter boxes, and tables. Sunday only, Cynthia Silva brings dog related items and Jenna Nicholson brings jewelry.

If you go, give yourself time for the drive and the browsing. The canyon road is part of the outing, and a bazaar in a log building with cider in hand is about as Estes Valley as a November weekend gets. Questions about the bazaar can go to Deb Green at deb@peacefulridge.com.

Read the original reporting at Estes Park News.