Weather forecasters are predicting sunny skies and 75 degrees,
and local vendors are planning for a weekend of fun as the Jeff
Williams Arts and Crafts Show takes over downtown San Juan Bautista
Saturday and Sunday.
Weather forecasters are predicting sunny skies and 75 degrees, and local vendors are planning for a weekend of fun as the Jeff Williams Arts and Crafts Show takes over downtown San Juan Bautista Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s definitely a good business weekend,” Lawrene Suttie, owner of The Glass Connection, said.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can stroll for free through the more than 200 booths of arts and crafts, including everything from handmade jewelry to custom thrown pottery. Along with local artisans, San Benito County eateries will staff 18 food booths to feed the masses and participate in the fair.
Along with shopping, a band called “Soundbytes” will be producing non-stop music all weekend long.
“It’s a very family friendly event,” Williams said. “San Juan Bautista is a great place to hold the fair because it’s a tourist destination and people feel safe and welcomed here. It’s a very friendly place.”
Williams has been holding two arts and crafts fairs a year in San Juan Bautista for the past 18 years.
“It usually takes people at least three hours just to browse through the shops, and if they get tired of doing that, there is always the entertainment,” he said.
San Juan Bautista City Manager Larry Cain said the quaint atmosphere of the town makes it a natural fit for arts and crafts venues.
“It’s the smallness of a mission town that draws people here,” he said. “And parking is pretty easy to find.”
Along with the vendors who benefit from their sales, San Juan Bautista sees revenue from the fair as well. Along with the increase in local business, each vendor must purchase a business license from the city.
“The city does very well over the weekend,” Williams said.
