Shopping at the Village Peddler Festival has become an annual ritual for many people who enjoy checking out an abundance of handmade items in an outdoor atmsophere. And that tradition has been going on for a long time. In fact, the Village Peddler Festival marked its 40th anniversary in 2024. This year’s festival took place Sept. 14 and 15 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland. About 225 vendors, including crafters, artists and food trucks, participated in this year’s festival. Featured merchandise included pottery, candles, soaps, jewelry, wooden signs, birdhouses, clothing, purses and tote bags, paintings, towels, brooms and baskets. One of the new vendors at the 2024 festival was Harbor Beacon Farm. Karla Murray, the owner of Harbor Beacon Farm, specializes in restoring chairs which have seats made of cane; rush, which is woven from materials such as hand-twisted leaves of marshland bullrush plants or cattails; and splint, which are thinly shaved sections of wood, typically ash or oak. On the morning of Sept. 15 at the Village Peddler Festival, Murray was demonstrating how she weaves strands of cane, and inserts them into chair seats during a re-caning project. Murray, who lives in Painesville Township, said she’s been restoring chairs for about four years now. She finds the work to be “relaxing and calming.” Murray said she also loves learning about the history of the chairs that she restores for customers. “Every chair has a story,” she said. Alyssa Osborne, facing camera, owner of the business Wrappin’ Osborne, talks with customers during the Sept. 15 session of the Village Peddler Festival. Wrappin’ Osborne is based in Homerville, Ohio. Osborne was featuring her ceramic creations at the event. The 2024 Village Peddler Festival took place Sept. 14 and 15 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland. (Bill DeBus – The News-Herald) Another exhibitor at the 2024 Village Peddler Festival was Alyssa Osborne, who operates an art business called Wrappin’ Osborne. A resident of Homerville, Ohio, in Medina County, Osborne was featuring her ceramic creations at this year’s event. Those items included cups, planters and wall decor. Osborne said she works full-time as an artist. “I get to do what I love every day, so that’s fun,” she said. Osborne said she also loves displaying her products at shows because she enjoys interacting with customers. This was her second year as a vendor at the Village Peddler Festival. Necklaces created by Deby’s Designs Art Glass Jewelry are displayed at the booth of the business at the Sept. 15 session of the Village Peddler Festival. Deby’s Designs, based in Fairview Park, specializes in fused art glass jewelry, such as earrings and necklaces. The 2024 Village Peddler Festival took place Sept. 14 and 15 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland. (Bill Debus – The News-Herald) Another full-time artist who set up a booth at this year’s festival was Deby Romaniw. She owns Deby’s Designs, a business that creates fused art glass jewelry, such as earrings and necklaces. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” said Romaniw, who lives in North Olmsted. In addition to selling her products as shows, Romaniw operates a Deby’s Designs shop in Fairview Park. She also teaches classes in designing fused art glass jewelry. 2024 marked the second year that Romaniw set up a vending booth at the Village Peddler Festival. Romaniw said she enjoys being part of the event. “The festival grounds are phenomenal,” she said. “The crowds are phenomenal. And it’s a great mix of vendors.” Romaniw said she also enjoys working the festival’s organizers, Holly Pastor and Kelly Noon. In 2022, Pastor and Noon purchased the Village Peddler Festival name and the rights to operate the event from longtime show producer Roberta Rice. Pastor said she and Noon learned a lot when they planned and carried out the festival for the first time in 2023. They are strongly committed to ensuring that the Village Peddler Festival has a bright future. “We’re just trying to make it a great festival for vendors and people coming in to shop with us,” Pastor said.