KACIE KAUFMAN
Staff Reporter | kjk019@latech.edu
Children peruse the Giddy Goat Soapery’s booth at the Ruston Makers Fair. Photo by Colin Fontenot.
The smell of salted caramel kettle corn, the sound of live music and multicolored tents with a variety of items from local vendors signaled the return of the Ruston Makers Fair to downtown Ruston.
On Oct. 8, a number of local “makers” offered a variety of products, from hand-crafted jewelry and art to personalized crafts.
Mary Elleson, a Ruston resident and former professor at Grambling State University, said she was surprised to see so many people and vendors at the event.
“I think it shows that Ruston is up and coming,” she said. “We’re growing, but we’re hopefully not concerned about just growing for growth’s sake — but making quality life for people who live here, and for students especially.”
Elleson said the fair did not just appeal to a single demographic, but instead brought out a diverse group of people.
“It brings people of all ages and all different backgrounds together for one common purpose, which is just to be out in the sunshine and hear music and see the arts,” she said.
Seth Whiteman, a senior kinesiology major, said he would like to see more events like the makers fair come to Ruston.
“It just brings a broad spectrum of people who usually don’t interact together,” he said.
Whiteman said he was drawn to the event because the activities were not ones that he would normally do.
“It brings a whole bunch of different stuff to one place so that you can see what Ruston really has to offer,” he said.
Sarah Goodgion, a senior marketing major, said since she moved to Ruston, events like the fair had been recently brought to her attention through the city’s increased use of social media advertising.
“I’m from the New Orleans area and we have a lot of stuff like this,” she said. “I never knew that Ruston had this when I first moved.”
Goodgion came to the makers fair to do her part in helping both local businesses and Tech.
“I know students who are graduated and doing this now, so I like to support them,” she said. “Shop local — it’s great to support local.”
Alexandra Milford, a senior English major, had her own tent for the first time at the fair this year.
“I’ve been coming to the makers fair as a patron for a couple of years,” she said. “I’ve always been really into crocheting, so I decided that this year I would try it out and sell some stuff.”
Milford participated in the event by selling her creations from her Quirky Crochet booth, and said she saw that the event had grown from last year.
“There’s a lot of talent in Ruston and I think being able to bring it all to one place for Ruston is a really good idea,” she said.