Copyright 2008 • Sponsored by the Center for Essential Education
 

21st Annual Homestead Craft & Children's Fair

Join us for our 21st annual Homestead Craft & Children's Fair at Brazos de Dios. Bring the whole family and plan to spend the entire day-there's something for everyone to enjoy, from young to old. Be sure to dress warmly for those chilly, late fall evenings.

Craft Demonstrations

Each day in the craft pavilion, you'll find a wide variety of ongoing homestead craft demonstrations - woodworking with hand tools, pottery, sewing, quilting, spinning, weaving, broom making, basket making, leather work and more.

Shopping

While you're here, plan to do some Christmas shopping-we have hundreds of handcrafted gifts and specialty items from which to choose.

Agricultural Exhibits

At Heritage Farm, our working homestead, watch agricultural demonstrations including draft horse farming, sheep herding with a sheepdog, cow and goat milking, butter and cheese making, brick-oven bread baking and cider pressing, as well as exhibits on beekeeping, poultry raising, farm animals and more.

Music

Gather under the music tent with us for gospel songs, bluegrass msic and more each afternoon of the Fair, as well as Friday and Saturday evenings.

Activities for Children

For your children, we offer hands-on activities, including beeswax candle dipping, felting, making soap balls, learning to cross-stitch, shaping a wooden spatula and more.

Outdoor Food

Throughout each day we offer tasty food at our outdoor concession booths and kiosks-try a sizzling beef sausage-on-a-stick or a spicy, grilled chicken gordita. Sample our fresh whole wheat bread baked in a brick oven or try one of our specialty flavors of ice cream.

And Much More!

You'll also find horse-drawn hayrides, artwork, children's writings, children's books, Homestead Farms specialty foods, solid wood furniture, letterpress printing, an audiovisual presentation, a baked goods sale and more!

See You at the Fair!

ANNUAL FAVORITES

At the Working Homestead

* Draft Horse Farming

* Sheepdog Demonstration

In the Craft Pavilion Area

* Making a Windsor Chair

* Working Wood by Hand

* Wheel-Thrown Pottery

In the Music Tent

* Children's Choirs

* Evening Music

On the Fairgrounds

* Horse-Drawn Hayrides

* Apple Cider Pressing

* Candle Dipping

* Barn Raising

* Homestead Gristmill

* Toy Sailboats

At the Food Court

* Shish Kabobs

* Hamburgers & Fries

* Maple Pecan Ice Cream

* Hot Apple Cider

At the Food Kiosks

* Kettle Corn

* Apple Cider Donuts

* Sausage-on-a-Stick

At the Community Hall

* Children's Writings

* Children's Books

BARN RAISING

Come give us a hand on Friday and Saturday as we raise and assemble a historic barn frame using traditional hand methods.

HISTORIC

BUILDINGS TOUR

Allow time to take the historic buildings walking tour, to see buildings including a 1760's New Jersey barn, an 1830's Missouri cabin and an 1860's New York smokehouse.

RESTORED GRISTMILL

Be sure to walk over to Homestead Gristmill, our 1760's restored gristmill where we grind whole wheat flour and cornmeal.