Handmade in Highland Returning For 7th Year

An annual event featuring local crafts and food returns to Monterey just in time for the holiday season. Handmade in Highland will be held for its seventh year on November 9th and 10th at Monterey Presbyterian Church. It began as a fundraiser for the church, which plans to use this year’s funds to restore the church’s stained glass windows that need structural repair. Tate Dunn of the church’s Building Committee says the event has another purpose that is more important, allowing people in the church family to share their artistic talent. Handmade in Highland begins around 3 pm on Friday, November 9, 2018.

Ms. Dunn says, “November, it’s cold outside, usually, but people come, and they want to get some food, and they want to see their friends and stay and talk. We don’t have that many people that walk in and walk back out. They stay and just really enjoy the experience of being together.

“On Friday, we’ll be doing maple-glazed bbq chicken, which the church has done a number of times. It is not a eat-in event. It’s to-go. If you want to order chicken to-go, you can call 280-0123, and leave a message. Chicken halves will be $6 each, and we will be open until 6 o’clock. They can be picked up, or you can just walk in. The crafts people will be set up also on Friday evening from 4:00 to 6:00. Then we reopen at 10 o’clock on Saturday morning. On Saturday, we do sell chili, both regular, made with beef, and vegetarian, and that can be to-go or eat-in, and we’ll have a number of other breads and baked goods for sale. The church also has a silent auction table, where we have donated items from our vendors and also from the church. On Saturday, we close at 3:00, and we also do the drawing for the silent auction at that time.

“This year, Sarah Cockerham will be there with, again, some handmade soaps and other toiletries, as well as pottery, and she is becoming quite the accomplished potter and has some new items to feature for Handmade in Highland. David Cockerham will be there again with local photography, everything for sale from cards to framed pieces of photography. Lorraine White, is a local potter, and she will have her pottery, beautiful pieces, particularly pieces for the kitchen, Christmas decorations, other wonderful pieces that I know a number of people are collecting. Donna Bedwell will have baskets, and she may also be featuring some baskets from other basket makers in the community, and Mike Bedwell, again, another local photographer with a number of different tile and scenes, as well as some new art of local churches. Pam Flynn, who is a fabric artist, creates repurposed clothing and also paper items, and Debbie Stephenson, who has a number of sewn items, including aprons, bags, and we’re hoping this year that Judy Roberts will be there. She is a fine artist. I do not believe she will be there Friday night, but we’re hoping that she’ll be there on Saturday.

“The vendors that participate will be taking their own money. The church has a separate table of where we collect the funds that we have, but all of the vendors have donated to the church to be able to participate.”

People can learn more at the Handmade in Highland Event page on Facebook.