Rare makers faire returns for its 8th year

Quality and unique, handmade goods will be on full display as the Mill Spring Makers Faire is set to return to Spring Street this Saturday. The event, which takes place in Downtown Jonesborough from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is held twice a year and hosted by Mill Spring Makers Market. Now in its 8th year, the market is excited to have right at 70 local vendors for this spring's event. The market is a juried event, meaning that the vendors are heavily scrutinized and vetted during the application process to make sure every vendor is selling high quality, legitimate products, something that really sets this event apart from others in the area. "It is all locally hand-made goods, very high quality," said Melinda Copp, owner of Mill Spring Makers Market and event coordinator. "There will be everything from soaps to jewelry to leather to hand-blown glass to fine artwork and clothing. You're going to find a little bit of everything here." Copp describes the market as "very unique and very high quality." The first event the shop had was merely a one-year celebration of the shop's opening, but Copp said the shop was just so full of maker and vendors that it clicked in her head, this was something that could be and should be bigger. The market was then created as a sort of extension of the store a couple of times a year. While the market does bring attention to her own store, Copp said she enjoys organizing the event for a multitude of reasons, with one sticking up at the top as her favorite. "My favorite part is finding new makers. Finding these new artists that literally just come out of the woodwork," Copp added. The locality of the event isn't simply limited to Jonesborough or Washington County, but all over the region. "It is local so a lot of times we have people from Flag Pond, Morristown, western North Carolina, southwest Virginia- a lot of people will find out about us and apply." Each time a new application comes in, Copp says she's always excited to see if it's a new maker or maybe even a new craft that is more unique than what most vendors sell. Getting meet those new vendors and appreciate the items they make is very important to her. Driving home the unique nature of this faire, Copp insisted that you weren't going to find a market like this just anywhere. "You're going to find quality, handmade, unique artwork at this show. It's not your typical show," Copp said. "I have a lot of vendors who participate in this event who don't participate in other events in this area just because it is a quality show." The spring faire offers unique touches that the winter faire does not like garden art and décor. Additionally, Copp said a greenhouse will be joining the faire setting up in the gazebo, transforming it into a full-blown greenhouse itself. Tahere will also be a food truck and some food vendors on hand as well to take care of any hungry customers.