Henderson Lions Club Arts and Crafts Festival Returns October 7-8

While it's probably hard to think about fall when we're still in the middle of the heat and humidity of the Tri-State summer, changing leaves and cooler temperatures aren't that far away. The changing of the season will also bring with it the return of the popular Henderson Lions Club Arts & Crafts Festival at Audubon State Park on Saturday, October 7th, and Sunday, October 8th.

The event has a long history in the Henderson community. It began in the 1970s as the Big Rivers Arts Festival before being taken over and renamed the Green River Areas Development District Arts Festival in the '80s. It became the Henderson Lions Club Arts and Crafts Festival when they took it over six years ago in 2015.

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Regardless of who put it on, or what they called it, the general concept has remained the same for nearly 50 years; provide a space for local vendors to sell their handmade products to the public.

This year's festival will run from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM on both days and is expected to feature more than 100 vendors selling hand-made items including woodworking pieces, quilts, jewelry, paintings, hand-made toys, soaps and candles, leather goods, and metalwork. Additionally, food booths will be selling everything from hot dogs to chicken, pork burgers to corn dogs, and popcorn to funnel cakes.

Considering the event takes place just a few weeks before Halloween, and a couple of months before Christmas, it will be a great opportunity to find some locally made decorations or even a few gifts for the family and friends on your holiday shopping list.

If turnout is as good as it was for the 2022 festival, it's 5,000 to 6,000 people are expected to show up over the course of the two-day event.

Vendor Registration Open

If you or someone you know has homemade products to sell, or you're a local food truck owner who would like to set up shop and feed visitors during one of both days, rental space is still available for $125 for booths and $175 for food vendors. Registration applications can be found on the Lions Club's website as well as through the Club's Facebook page. All registration forms and fees can be sent to Henderson Lions, P/O. Box 842, Henderson, Kentucky, 42420.

Where the Money Goes

Proceeds from the event go directly to the Lions Club which keeps it in the Henderson area and uses it to support eye conservation, including eyeglasses and eye surgeries for those who cannot afford them, eye screening of 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders in Henderson Schools, scholarships for local high school seniors, as well as grants for local non-profit organizations.

[Source: Henderson Lions Club]