Craft festival a big draw

The Berea Craft Festival held July 11-13 at Indian Fort Theater, drew a large crowd of visitors to explore work produced by artists and crafters across the state. The three-day event attracted nearly 6,000 attendees, 114 craft vendors and seven food vendors.

Beyond the artworks they display, the vendors have stories of their own to tell. 

Doug Dahlman, a wood worker at the craft fair, was an insect physiologist at the University of Kentucky from 1965-2001. But his journey as a woodworker started when he was a child and made furniture for his home.

Currently Dahlman lives in Lexington, but after retiring from UK, he has been active throughout the region in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia using his skills to help build churches, habitat houses, and more. 

Dahlman sold intricate hand-crafted wood boxes with designs that consisted of pieces of wood that were cut and placed together to create a picture. He began making boxes approximately 24-25 years ago and came to his first Berea Craft Festival in 2017. 

“I sell memories,” Dahlman said. “People buy things for their grandchildren, for their children, for their own memories.”

High School seniors Lainey Barrow and Madeline Singleton were some of the visitors at the craft fair looking at works produced by Dahlman and other artists. 

“We’re from the Governor Scholars Program, so we’re on our Explore Kentucky Day where all the scholars go around to different places in Kentucky,” Barrow said. 

Barrow and Singleton enjoyed the craft festival and purchased jewelry and beer cheese from vendors. 

Ciara Moberly and Nina Stamus of Berea Tourism, served at the information tent, giving visitors directions and resources, such as pamphlets promoting things to do, places to eat and upcoming events in Berea. 

“Everyone looks enthusiastic and interested to see what’s out there,” Stamus said.