The third annual Perry Fiber Art Fair was held Saturday, and it once again brought in big crowds of people interested in the unique medium.

The event was primarily held at La Poste, where there were 16 artists and demonstrators throughout the day. There were also quilting demonstrations at Ben’s Five and Dime, presented by the Perry Piecemakers Guild, and some public art such as the light pole warmers, fiber-covered hula-hoops in Prairie Lane, and quilt pieces in Josh Davis Plaza. Organizer Jenny Eklund said they estimated over 300 people attended this year, and everyone seemed to have a good time.

One of the attendees was Melissa Dinesen and her husband, who hail from Harlan. They said they heard about the event on Raccoon Valley Radio and where very impressed with Perry when they arrived. In particular, Melissa said it was a pleasant surprise to see how much the City supports the artistic endeavors. “It’s just nice to be around people that are like-minded. It’s difficult to find a community that is so involved, and stays involved and able to maintain it. It’s hard to find, and especially in a small community.”

Overall, Eklund was pleased with the Fiber Art Fair, adding that it created some new opportunities for the new store she’ll be opening this summer. “We’ve had so many out of town guests that arrived here. (There’s) a lot of purchases, the artists are happy with their sales. But the really big, happy thing for me is that we’re opening a shop here on 2nd Street in July/August, and some of the artists here want to be part of our shop, and add more business and more excitement to Perry. So today has just been a Godsend!”

Looking ahead to next year and the fourth annual event, Eklund says her plan is to incorporate more buildings and more artists.