THE FESTIVAL: Beware of Piggy-backers When Weighing Purchases

Buying local takes on a new meaning at this weekend's Bel Air Festival for the Arts.

When event coordinator Donna Clauer Stufft asks people to buy local Sunday, she is talking about a four-acre plot of land better known as Shamrock Park.

"We encourage people to please eat inside the park because on the periphery of the festival over the years, many people have become piggy-backers onto our event," Stufft says. "They don't help to pay for the advertising or the services that are provided by the police and our public works. … And yet they sell from their yards and whatnot."

Though Stufft added that she has "no bad thoughts" about the so-called "piggy-backers," she does hope that the festival's patrons take into account where the proceeds will go.

"The programs of the Bel Air recreation committee that conducts youth programs are the ones that volunteered to operate the food concession," says Paul Yanney, chief of recreation for Harford County Parks and Recreation.

"Money they make from that goes back to the youth programs or the [Bel Air] Band," which also volunteers at the food stands, Yanney added.

The exhibitors would probably appreciate festival-official business, too, considering how much they pay for a booth—$100.

"That covers [the event's costs], all of which the prices keep going up and up, including transportation," Stufft says.

It is true—those who attend the event need not scour downtown for a parking space. A free shuttle will be provided from the Motor Vehicle Administration on Route 24 to the downtown festival. Those who want to park in town, though, can use the Hickory Street garage for an all-day fee of $2, which will benefit the Bel Air Auxiliary Police.

Food, of course, is just one of the many things for sale at Sunday's seven-hour festival. The crafts on display from the exhibitors are the highlight of the event.

"Really you can buy almost anything craft-wise. We have about 50 booths that are fine arts. We have another 25 photography and then the rest are crafts," Stufft says. "And then they cover the whole gamut of craftwork—Christmas decorations, candles, soap, jewelry. Jewelry is probably our largest category right now."

The event's coordinator says that the items are made from paper, glass, and many things in between.

"In the art categories we have oils, acrylics, pen and ink. We have [three] people that are doing … different types of sculpture," Stufft says.

Whether Christmas shopping, splurging or just plain hungry, the Festival for the Arts will offer many options.

Beware, however, of those piggy-backing vendors.

"It's not my place to say anything to them. We're in America, people can do what they want," Stufft says. "[But] we ask that people please do buy their food within the park from parks and [recreation] because that is the only fundraising aspect of this."

The 45^th annual Bel Air Festival for the Arts is being held rain or shine Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in Shamrock Park. Admission is free. This is part one in a series of articles about Bel Air's premiere arts and crafts festival.