For the past four years, Hayfield Secondary School has been organizing a craft fair and silent auction. This is an opportunity to bring students, families, and local vendors together for a day of shopping and fun. While visitors see rows of booths filled with handmade items, baked goods, or local businesses, many don’t realize the amount of planning and effort that goes into making the event successful. From organizing vendors to setting up tables and prompting the event, months of preparation help turn the Hayfield craft fair into one of the school’s most anticipated community events.
“This will be the 5th annual Hayfield Craft Fair and Silent Auction,” parent volunteer on the All Night Grad Party committee Melissa Alexander said. We have over 100 vendors attending this year, including many from within our own community and even some amazing student entrepreneurs. The craft fair brings together local artists, makers, and small businesses to showcase their work while giving the community a fun event to shop, eat, and connect. Along with the vendors, we will also host a silent auction where attendees can bid on a variety of donated items and experiences.”
There is a lot that goes into making the craft fair happen, though the activities are the most prominent there is still the planning that makes it all possible.
“So much goes into the craft fair,” Alexander said. “A lot of the planning happens behind the scenes, often late in the evenings and on weekends. Our ANGP committee meets regularly to coordinate everything from vendor applications and silent auction donations to marketing, logistics, and volunteer coordination. There are also many details to manage, such as organizing vendor placement, coordinating with food trucks, planning the layout of the event, and preparing for hundreds of visitors. It is a lot of work for the small group of volunteers we have, but everyone is committed to making the event successful for the students.”
With all the planning that goes into the craft fair it provides not only students an opportunity to buy goods but also businesses to widen their market and sell their things.
“We will have over 100 vendors attending, offering a wide range of handmade and specialty items. These include baked goods, stained glass, woodworking, handmade soaps, health and wellness products, knitted and crocheted items, pottery, jewelry, and many other unique crafts. We will also have several amazing food trucks so guests can grab something to eat while they shop and enjoy the event,” Alexander said.
The craft fair isn’t just an organization to support small or local businesses, it is also here to help raise money for scholarships and the seniors’ ANGP.
“The ANGP Committee hosts the Annual Hayfield Craft Fair and Silent Auction to help support the Class of 2026. Funds raised go toward scholarships for our seniors as well as helping fund the ANGP. The goal of the ANGP is to provide graduates with a fun, safe, and memorable celebration after graduation, and the craft fair is one of our largest fundraising events of the year,” Alexander said.
