By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
For the first time in history, Westwood Artists, First Parish of Westwood, and the First Baptist Church of Westwood collaborated to organize their annual December fairs on the same day. All three locations featured local artists, artisans, crafters, food, and a musical performance by the local A Capella group, Mass Appeal Boston. An added convenience was that all three sites were within walking distance from one another, allowing attendees to easily move between locations.
The first site, designated as number one on the map, was First Baptist Church's Holly Fair. This fair showcased a bake sale, crafts, perennially popular attic treasures, gently used jewelry, and Christmas items. As a special highlight, Westwood native and exceptional woodworker Doug Crawford presented his cutting and serving boards, along with coasters made from exotic woods. Local vendors included Paper Flamingo, Paparazzi Accessories, Tyler Can, the Westwood High Alumni Association, and the Westwood Community Chest's luminary kits. The fair also offered a hot lunch for all attendees after their shopping experience.
The second site on the map was located next door at the Historical Society's Fisher School, where Westwood Artists hosted their December Marketplace. In this unique one-room schoolhouse setting, ten Westwood resident artisans exhibited and sold a diverse range of hand-crafted items, including photography, jewelry, paintings, knit and woven accessories, pottery and ceramics, felt, and collages. The ten artists featured were Lisa WB Walker, Kathy Zola, Carol Ahearn, Lexi Jackson, Karen Cagan, Jane Wojick, Cynthia Senerchia, Betsy Husted, Maureen Obey, and Michael Manning.
The third and final site on the map was the First Parish Church Christmas Fair, offering wreaths, Christmas cookies, gently used Christmas ornaments, and decorations for sale. A silent auction took place alongside local artisans selling quilts, artwork, and origami jewelry. The Westwood Community Chest also had luminary kits available for those interested. After the shopping spree, the kitchen crew treated attendees to freshly made to-go orders of vegan butternut squash soup, clam chowder, and chili.
Admission to all three sites was completely free of charge, welcoming everyone interested in exploring the diverse offerings. Judy Butler, one of the event coordinators, expressed excitement about all three sites coming together for this collaborative walkabout. “While this is only our first time putting something like this together,” Judy stated, “we really hope that this will continue on as an annual Westwood Christmas tradition.”
