ROGERS -- Every fall, as the leaves start to change, thousands of people flock to Northwest Arkansas for the War Eagle Craft Show to shop for items made by artisans from all over the country.
Sponsors expect 200,000 visitors for the 63rd annual War Eagle Fair. They will see booths by more than 258 vendors. War Eagle Mill and the Sharp Show, which are across the War Eagle River from War Eagle Fair, have more vendor booths and concessions.
"Of all the diverse activities that we have -- Crystal Bridges, Arvest Ballpark, Amazeum -- the War Eagle Fair predates them all," said Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. "They're all very important to have in our portfolio to attract different constituencies."
The fair runs through Sunday. War Eagle Mill is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Breakfast is served starting at 6:30 each morning. Vendor booths are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except for Sunday, when the fair will close at 4:30 p.m.
It is difficult to track how much visitors to War Eagle spend on hotel rooms, restaurants and other activities while they're here. The consensus is that spending numbers might have declined in recent years, but that's nothing to worry about, Deck said.
"From a pure economic standpoint, the numbers may be smaller because there are more tourist activities, but it all contributes to the fabric of Northwest Arkansas," she said. "That's what makes us who we are, a place with Rodeo of the Ozarks; Bikes, Blues and BBQ; Razorback football; and IMBA," the International Mountain Biking Association World Summit.
Posh Pillows, Grassy Creek Brooms and Brockman Leather are among 11 vendors who have sold their wares at War Eagle for 20 years, and another three have each returned for 30 years.
"It's the No. 1 craft fair," said Mary Bowman, a wood carver known for her Christmas ornaments who has been a part of War Eagle Fair for 13 years. "It's high quality. Everyone is friendly, and it's a fun place worth going to even if you're not there as a craftsperson. There's lots to see."
Peter Engler Designs, Bowman's business in the Branson Grand Village, is the reason she got hooked. She once co-owned it with her carving mentor, the store's namesake, who opened the first woodcarving shop at Silver Dollar City in 1962. Engler never failed to bring the store's inventory to War Eagle.
At first, the pair would bring $10,000 worth of inventory, but these days the business brings at least $20,000 in products. Bowman and her daughter make the drive back to Branson, Mo., each night and often retrieve more to bring with them. Knowing how much to bring is half the battle, Bowman said.
"If you don't have it, you can't sell it," she said. "It takes all year to build your inventory, make sure you have the right amount, the right items that are sellable and reasonably priced."
Depending on the intricacy of the carved ornament, products can take anywhere from five hours to a couple of days to make. Bowman said the booth has many repeat visitors at the fair. She creates a special ornament sold only at War Eagle each year and often makes custom orders for return guests.
Jennifer Roudabush, co-owner and founder of Theraganics, quickly learned of War Eagle Fair by its reputation when she began to attend craft fairs as a vendor in 2010.
"Other people said, 'Go to this one,'" Roudabush said. "It's always been beautiful. The people are excellent, and groups of girlfriends go as a tradition. It's beyond any other craft show and has such a different atmosphere."
In six years of selling at the fair, this is the year Roudabush has had to prepare for most by bringing a truck and trailer both full of inventory and a bath tub to display her natural, organic skincare products. It's the first time Theraganics has earned the distinction of being in the War Eagle Mill, the only juried part of the fair.
War Eagle Fair has a building and four tents, each with roughly 50 vendors' booths. Patrons seem to appreciate the organized approach.
"It's a great location, and it's better than any other craft fair I've been to," said Ellen Bearden, who has been to the fair the past couple of years. "They have good crowd control, and it makes for a great family outing."
Bearden attended the fair with daughter Breanna and her new neighbor, Cindy Gossage, who recently moved to Northwest Arkansas.
"It's lovely," Gossage said. "It's organized well, and the booths are put well together."
The trio loves quilting, which the War Eagle Fair has lots of.
Dozens of schoolchildren played on the bank of the river while Shaw Elementary teachers and parents talked. A field trip to the War Eagle Fair was an interactive economic lesson for the third-graders, teachers said.
Students walk through the fair, get ideas for making their own products and interview the vendors. Next week, they will conduct their own in-school fair in which students will pay for products with "Star bucks," school money earned with good behavior.
"We knew kids would own a market and this is a live-action one to observe," said Karen Showalter, a third-grade teacher at Shaw. "It's a chance to see people who make this a family tradition and who have special skills. It helps children identify [their own] talent and learn how to have a good handle on inventory."
Metro on 10/15/2016