Ascension Episcopal Church in Westminster will host its annual Mistletoe Mart Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 6-8. This year marks the event's 35 anniversary, and its organizers couldn't be more pleased.

"It started out as a two-day event. It is not a bazaar, more like a juried craft show," said Sandy White, publicity chairwoman. "Based on our reputation, it's just grown."

Fifty artists and crafters will fill the two-story building with items just in time for the holiday season.

"A lot of families start their family Christmas shopping," White explained. "It is an opportunity to buy things that you don't find anywhere else."

Crafts range from desk essentials to stained glass, and pottery to portraits. The artisans hail from all over the state as well as Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

While many of the exhibitors have attending the mart in the past, there are always some new ones, too.

"We have a waiting list of vendors who want to come in," White said. "A number of them say it is their best show sale-wise."

More than 1,600 hours of volunteer work by church members are put into the planning and preparations for the festival, White said. Planning begins in February with the selection of crafters.

"It's a huge event," White said. "We have 250 families. Everyone in our church helps."

Work starts in the kitchen the Monday before the event in order to get the stocks ready for the mart's homemade soups.

In addition to soups, the kitchen offers turkey salad sandwiches, barbecue and various other goodies will be available for lunch and dinner throughout the festival.

"Our potato corn chowder is renowned," White boasted. "That's the best."

A 'country store' will feature a number of homemade goodies for sale by parish members as well as other homemade goodies like jams.

"One lady who is a founding member and her granddaughter participate by baking and donating time," White said. "It's kind of neat carrying on the family tradition."

The mart also features an angels corner, where children are encouraged to make a Christmas presents for their parents for a nominal fee, White said.

Proceeds from the Mart go partially to the church and partially to fund area charities, according to White.

"Every year we donate a portion to a local charity," White said. "We rotate it so everybody gets a chance."

Past charities have included the Literacy Council of Carroll County, Carroll Food Sunday, the Rape Crisis Intervention Center, Meals on Wheels and Shepherd's Staff.

If you go

The annual Mistletoe Mart at Ascension Episcopal Church, 23 N. Court St., will run Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 6-8. Hours are Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission will be $5 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under. For more information call 410-848-3251 or visit the Web site www.mistletoemart.org.

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