Ridgefield Gets Crafty with Some Super-Special Events

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Arts and cafts are always everywhere in Ridgefield, but this time of year our cornucopia runs over.

Members of the Ridgefield Guild of Artists and five teams of local decorators will be tossing back their scarves and squinting as they transform the white-walled, antique barn gallery space on Halpin Lane into the fantasy playground of the 14th Annual Festive Home.

The annual fundraiser is almost an embarrasment of artistic and decorative riches, as befits an artists' guild in a town like Ridgefield. The designers have paired up with member artists to create vignettes around the barn. This year's theme is "All That Glitters!" so expect a surfeit of sharp and shiny bits. The vignettes frame the many drool-worthy artistic wonders the guild is offering for sale.

The whole shimmering shebang begins Friday, Nov. 16 with a $20-a-head opening night party and continues for five weeks with free admission from Saturday, Nov. 17 through Sunday, Dec. 23. Check the Ridgefield Patch Calendar for details.

Not quite so glittery but still gala, the 48th Annual Craft Fair sponsored by the Ridgefield Woman’s Club will be splayed about East Ridge Middle School on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Smart Ridgefield Christmas shoppers looking for unique gifts know to fill up their stockings at this annual event, which features decorative home items, holiday gifts, children and pet gifts, handmade clothing, knitted goods, jewelry, woodenware, glass arts, pottery, photography, gourmet treats and even food for a light lunch. All proceeds will benefit Ridgefield and surrounding community charities. Check the Ridgefield Patch Calendar for details.

...and speaking of crafts (watch what we do here), there's a craft beer festival within the Festival of Trees festival, on Friday, Nov. 26. The tree fest goes on all weekend, it's a fundraiser for Ann's Place in Ridgefield, a group of absolutely wonderful people assisting area cancer patients. Once a year they stage a big to-do where they sell artfully arranged trees contributed by the artfully arranged Ridgefield residents. Everything is staged under the dome in nearby Danbury. There's also dancers and musicians, as you might expect, a magician, which you might not have expected, and now a craft beer tasting, which came at us completely from left field, but who's complaining? Read more about the Festival of Trees here, and the "Taps & Trees" craft beer fest within the fest here.