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• If you go: 36th Annual Dogwood Arts & Crafts Festival

HUNTINGTON -- Donna Adkins has become a basket case this winter, and as Martha Stewart would say, it's a good thing.

Adkins, and her husband Roger, have brought in a truck load of handmade baskets to sell this weekend as part of the 36th Annual Dogwood Arts & Crafts Festival at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

The Adkins, and their booth, Sewing Specialties, out of Kitts Hill, Ohio, are just one of 112 booths that will fill the Arena with the Tri-State's biggest spring sale that offers everything from hand-crafted jewelry and wood items, to candles, quilts and metal works.

Admission is $4, $3 for seniors and $1 for children under 12. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Adkins, who has been coming to the Dogwood for more than a dozen years, said they always look forward to the fest as it's the first big sale of the year.

"I really enjoy the Dogwood and being able to see all of the homemade items and getting to visit with the other crafters and customers," Adkins said. "There's a lot of people that come year after year to buy from you, and who come through and speak with you. You do a lot of hugs."

Maybe, it's because the Adkins, like many other crafters and artists are so willing to share their knowledge.

The Adkins carry on the tradition by letting folks who are interested sit and weave their own small basket at no charge.

Adkins, who started out sewing clothes and quilts, said she just wanted to pass on the joy of weaving baskets, a craft she first learned at Ohio University Southern in Ironton.

"Last year I let people who would come through try and sit there and weave and they really enjoyed it," Adkins said. "It's very relaxing."

Always set up just before Mother's Day, Dogwood is also a spring tradition that the arena always looks forward to.

Birthed before the arena even existed, the Dogwood is one of three events (demolition derby and Ribfest) that the arena organizes in house.

Amanda Weiss, marketing director for the arena, said it's a labor of love to show off the talents of mom and pop vendors that come from nearly a dozen states and as far away as Texas and Florida to sell their wares.

"I think for the vendors Dogwood kind of kicks off their season and then they start to move outward to the outdoor festivals all around the country," Weiss said. "This weekend is a big deal to them and to us."

Weiss said about 75 percent of the vendors are like Adkins, veteran crafters who have been coming for years, while about a quarter of the vendors are new like Bubble Bright Night Lights, made and sold by Lisa Williams of Huntington.

Vendors have a little something for everyone.

There are well known woodcrafters like Sutphin's wooden toys that are sold downtown year-round at the Downtown Depot as well as around the region.

There are also homemade purses, log cabin doll houses, candles, jewelry, metal art, and hand-blown glass.

In addition, there are lots of great food item vendors such as Up The Creek with its hot mustard, Kenco Farm's honey wines and melomel, Kirkwood Winery's wines, B&K's homemade fudge (made on the spot), Amish cheese, CA John's Salsa, Ohio Valley Herbal Products and much more.

Weiss said the arena's vendors, Country Kitchen and Strawberry Express, will have a full country cooking menu with chicken and dumplings and strawberry shortcakes, respectively.

While the Dogwood has always featured some entertainment, Weiss said they've turned it up a notch with nine groups scheduled throughout the weekend.

Just a few of the groups entertaining include dancers from the Jeslyn Performing Arts Center in downtown Huntington, the Porter Creek Cloggers, River Magic Chorus, the Huntington Harmonica Club, and Rumble Tumble Gym.

"This year we have definitely stepped up the list of entertainers and have invited several really good groups of cloggers that haven't been to the festival for at least five years," Weiss said. "The entertainment really helps add to the liveliness of the event and all the vendors love it too."

From 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, WTCR-FM, 103.3-FM will be hosting a karaoke contest using Sesame Street songs to promote the upcoming arena performance of the Sesame Street Live show called, "Elmo Makes Music," that takes place May 23-25.

"I was wanting to do something for the show and this is a great tie-in for the show and to karaoke the various Sesame Street songs," Weiss said. "They won't be judged. Just singing will register them for the ticket giveaways."

Chris Harris/The Herald-Dispatch

The annual Dogwood Arts & Crafts Festival at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena offers everything from hand-crafted jewelry to candles, quilts and metalworks.

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