Sports teams, both professional and college, and other Florida destinations were well represented on the sweatshirts Villagers and visitors wore to take in the annual Spanish Springs Arts and Craft Festival on Saturday afternoon.
The crowds grew as the weather warmed, but vendors like Georgia-based copper artist Debbie Flowers, felt the turnout was great for such a chilly morning.
“It has been phenomenal,” said Flowers, “really busy.” Flowers makes copper sculptures, using a true patina finish that makes her pieces suitable for outside use. “My whimsy girls and palm trees have been flying out of here,” said Flowers. This was Flowers first time at this event. She participates in fine art shows in south Florida and decided to give this show a try since her parents now live in The Villages. “So glad I came, it has been really great- I will definitely be back.”
New vendors mixed in with veteran vendors. Miriam Valido of Valido’s Gourmet said she has been coming for “I don’t know 15 or 20 years, pretty much as long as they have been having this event.” In addition to party dips, Valido sells homemade pepper jelly, watermelon rind pickles and chow chow – all her mother’s recipes.
Peggy Thacker has been coming to this festival for years, she has been a resident of the Village of Glenbrook for 16 years. Every year she looks for Validi’s booth.
Wood sculpture artist Ademir Borges was not bothered by the weather. Originally from Brazil and now a resident of Cape Coral, Borges specializes in wood carvings of birds including larger-than-life blue herons. His work ranges in price from $30.00 to $1,000. “I don’t worry about the size of the crowd,” said Borges, “sometimes it only takes one person to make my day.”
Pat and Don Miller were admiring his work. “We waited for it to warm up,” said Pat, “but we wouldn’t miss it. You see something different every year.”
Another first-time vendor was artist Fran Martin Dixon from Virginia Beach. She paints acrylics on hardwood slabs, mostly cedar and cypress.
“This is my first-time at The Villages; it has been a wonderful experience,” she said.
On her way to Coral Gables for a show she participates in annually, her only concern was she might be selling too much. “It has been a great reception here,” said Dixon.
The Spanish Springs Arts and Craft show continues on Sunday from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with vendors all around the square and down the streets of Spanish Springs Town Square. Vendors include artisans of all kinds, including jewelry and a few vendors selling their homemade specialty food items.
