Walled Lake Spring Craft Show

May 2025

Drake and I had a fantastic time supporting the Walled Lake Marching Band this past Saturday. We met some wonderful readers, laughed with lots of children, and enjoyed the day surrounded by art.

Community art shows are a delight because you get a front row seat to the creative innovation and abundant talent thriving in the lives of every-day people. Shows like these remind us how important art is to the sanity of humanity.

We saw woodworkers create impressive carvings with lasers, knitters who turned yarn into a snuggly best friend, jewlery fashioned from stones and wrapped wire, aromatic additions to bath and air through the fusing of special ingredients and plants using a process I can't even begin to understand, delicous baked goods, and so much more. Color, texture, aroma, and taste... nearly all of the senses we use to experience life were on display, and it was incredible.

Click The Cover To Learn More About Steadman Squirrel!

Drake and I, and our friend, Jeffrey Ford, set up tables with our books to add a bit of whimsy to the day, as well. Jeffrey writes a wonderful collection of children's books featuring Steadman Squirrel. Although Jeffrey and I were stationed at opposite ends of the event, we did run into each other once at the beginning of the day, and shared a hug for good luck.

This was the second time they put on this event, and the organizers did an amazing job to promote and help everyone find their way. A large sign was set up in front of the school, and there were smaller signs stationed throughout town, too. They promoted on social media, and through every other media outlet available to them. This is the hardest part about organizing events, and those in charge marched through with colors flying! The organizers did an excellent job of ensuring every area of the show - nearly 150 vendors in all - saw visitors by employing "Disneyland" style line ropes and painter's tape arrows on the floor to direct the flow of traffic. The result was fewer crowds of people in only one small area, and more visibility for everyone.

The thing that most impressed me was the check-in process at the start of the morning. Adults with clipboards were stationed at both entrances, ready to help direct vendors to the best place to park. They gave us a slip of paper with our table number and room location so we could easily find where we belonged. A veritable gaggle of high school students - most likely the entire marching band - were on hand in the morning to help us unload and set up; and they reappeared again at the end of the day to help us pack out. The students also came around several times during the day to make sure we had water and snacks, and delivered lunch to those who pre-ordered. The students were exemplary humans. They were kind, respectful, helpful, and genuinly happy teenagers. It was a pleasure to be surrounded by such positive energy all day.

If Drake and I are asked back again next year, we will certainly heed the trumpet's call. This was an exceptational expeience, and we'd love to do it again!