Celebrating the Return of the Art & Crafts Fair

NEW PALTZ – Since its inception in 1982, the Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair has bookended the summer season in the Hudson Valley. But it’s been nearly two years since juried artists and makers from the Hudson Valley and beyond gathered underneath the Shawangunk Ridge in New Paltz to share their creations with the public. After 76 shows (and one unexpected pandemic), the fair returns this Memorial Day weekend.

Voted #2 contemporary craft show nationwide by Sunshine Artist Magazine, the festival features around 150 carefully curated exhibitors, most of whom have been absent from the show scene since 2019. The many shuttered months granted these makers unprecedented studio time to hone new skills, experiment with new techniques and imagine new themes. These handmade business owners are — perhaps more than ever before — thrilled to present their work, safely and in person.

The holiday weekend will be replete with handcrafted goods in over 10 media categories. Visitors will discover uncommon, standout finds for the home, body and beyond – from wearable art like statement jewelry and handsewn totes, to home staples like wall art and hand-thrown porcelain table settings, to large-scale garden sculptures and fountains, Adirondack chairs and everything in between.

The Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair is beloved for the personal interactions it fosters and its vast array of features that appeal to every style and generation. Visitors delight in ongoing craft demonstrations, a variety of small-batch artisanal and eat-on-site foods and, of course, local wine, brew and spirits. Live entertainment by seasoned and up-and-coming Hudson Valley performers round out this broad celebration of handmade. And the youngest fairgoers (and their parents) will appreciate a complimentary drop-off supervised crafts tent brimming with a wide range of both expected and unlikely materials.

Due to the mass-vaccination center at the Ulster County Fairgrounds, the Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair Spring Show will temporarily move across the street to Field of Dreams Park. Longtime visitors needn’t worry about a venue change, as directions to the fair are unchanged, and parking continues to take place on the fairgrounds lot. While the festival’s entrance is just a short walk from the parking area, those visitors requiring additional assistance can hop on an open-air trolly (handicap parking will also be available on site).
This market will follow all guidelines set forth by the NYSDOH for low-risk outdoor arts & entertainment including mandatory masks and social distancing. Pre-sale tickets encouraged but not required.

The Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair
Field of Dreams Park across from Ulster County Fairgrounds, New Paltz, NY
Saturday, 5/29 and Sunday, 5/30: 10am-5:30pm, and Monday, 5/31: 10am-4pm.
Visit quailhollow.com for more information.