The Deschutes County Expo Center welcomed a taste of the Holidays this weekend.
It was the 8th year for the Old Fashion Christmas event on Saturday and Sunday, which included more than 100 artists and crafters, food, a coloring contest, and of course, Santa Claus.
“A lot of the extra decorations separate the booths like they’re individual stores, and then we bring in a lot of cool different artists and crafters,” said the show’s organizer, Richard Esterman. “And that’s how America started, with artists and crafters, and that’s how the businesses that you see that are big box stores always started, with someone’s little idea.”
The artists ranged from metal workers, sculptors, potters, authors, clothing, jewelry, blacksmithing and more.
“Usually this event brings about 4,700 people on the weekend and we should hit those numbers or surpass them by the end of the day,” Esterman said on Sunday afternoon.
Organizers also used the event to accept donations for a food pantry.
Esterman said he didn’t think it took away from Thanksgiving to have a Christmas event in November.
“It just gets people in the holiday spirit for the holiday season, including Thanksgiving,” he said. “I really don’t think it takes away, it just gives people extra time and ideas to get out, especially after dealing with COVID.”
He said they always aim to host the event on Veterans Day weekend. “If it wasn’t for our veterans, there wouldn’t be any events. And so I just want to say thank you to our veterans for everything that they’ve sacrificed so we could have events like this,” he said.
Old Fashion Christmas will return next year on the second weekend in November.
