It’s getting to be that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, the turkeys are being prepped for Thanksgiving and the holiday season is right around the corner.
As college students, many of us are struggling to pay our way through school, feed ourselves and pay rent. When the holidays come around, the enthusiasm we have can be shattered by the stress of finding the time and money to buy gifts for loved ones.
Well, have no fear, because ASUNM Arts and Crafts Studio has been working diligently for 52 years in order to provide vendors, both from the community and from UNM, who will come to you.
From Nov. 18 to 20, the Arts and Crafts Studio presents the 52nd annual Arts and Crafts Fair, a student-run initiative with more than 70 local vendors who provide our campus with handmade gifts. Helen Atkins, the Executive Director of Arts and Crafts Studio, went through hours of receiving applications, going through a jurying process with her staff and finally picking the vendors that would be able to come to UNM with crafts of all sorts.
What’s even cooler about this specific craft fair is that students and student organizations are allowed to participate. We have two student organizations and 8 individual students this year that were selected to be vendors. Students providing handmade crafts to other students: how awesome!
The Arts and Crafts Fair has drummed up a few events this year as well, including musical acts at noon each day. Food trucks will be outside of the SUB, both providing sustenance to us all and advertising the event. Jewelry, clothes, prints, bath products and so much more will be available at the fair, and it is all brought to you on your campus by your student government.
At ASUNM we work tirelessly to try and make sure we are representative of the entire student body in some way. Among three branches, 20 senators, eight student service agencies, scholarships, hundreds of volunteers and numerous events, our goal is to provide services and events for students from all different walks of life.
The Arts and Crafts Fair is one event that is very special. It caters to both students and community members who make handmade crafts, as well as students and community members who are going to be in attendance. Craft fairs are generally something related to the holiday season, but fear not: you don’t have to walk further than the SUB Ballrooms to attend the best Arts and Crafts Fair of the season.
Jenna Hagengruber is president of the Associated Students of University of New Mexico.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
