Celebrating Tradition

"Keeping Winslow weird since 1881."

The bumper sticker has become a tradition -- and says a lot about Ozark Folkways, the 133-year-old community's "heritage, craft, art and culture" center, founded in the 1960s as the Craft School of the Ozarks.

"Folkways started out as a way for people who lived in the mountains to make a living by selling and showcasing indigenous art from the Ozarks, like baskets," says Stephanie Crawley, the center's director of development. "We're still kind of in that same mission of helping local artists showcase their stuff -- and also introducing kids to it as well.

"There are kids who have never made a basket!"

Besides having fun -- and releasing the annual edition of the popular bumper sticker -- Saturday's open house is intended to introduce families to Ozark Folkways, Crawley adds.

"We usually have an open house, but it's usually much smaller," she says. "We wanted to make it more of a big event for the community and big enough people might want to make it a destination."

And if participants do some last-minute holiday shopping, so much the better, Crawley admits. But there's plenty of fun to be had for very little cost, she says.

Offerings include a basket making class ($35), a $5 cookie decorating class for kids -- complete with cookies shaped like squirrels, the Winslow mascot -- a $5 earring making class, a $5 holiday greeting card class for kids, a tamale make-and-take class for adults ($20), a trunk show of jewelry by Laura Jane, spinning demonstrations by the Boston Mountain Spinners, an ugly sweater contest, chili and cornbread for lunch, music by Winslow resident Dan Dean and an evening reception featuring homemade tamales, White River Creamery artisan cheeses, adult beverages and more.

And of course, the $3 bumper sticker will be for sale.

-- Becca Martin-Brown

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