By Khalida Sarwari
Christmas may still be more than a month away, but it’s not too early to start looking for gifts.
The Lynbrook High School Craft Faire offers people an opportunity to get started on that ever-growing shopping list and help support the school’s instrumental music department at the same time.
Now in its 33rd year, the Craft Faire, sponsored by the school’s instrumental music boosters, will be held on Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lynbrook, 1280 Johnson Ave. in San Jose. The event, which will be spread out at the field house, gym and the cove, features handcrafted items by more than 120 vendors, a prize drawing, bake sale, food trucks and outdoor music.
Admission to the fair–which showcases a wide array of jewelry, apparel, fabric art, glass pumpkins, gourmet jams, chocolate and olive oils–is free. A program guide that includes the vendors and a map of their locations will be distributed at the event. Food trucks selling hot dogs and Asian cuisine will also be available. There is free parking at the high school.
For the outdoor music portion of the program, the students in the instrumental music classes, such as the jazz band, will perform. The students will also hold a music competition in the school auditorium, said Jean Fujiki, co-chairwoman of the event.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each or six for $5. There will be anywhere from 50 to 75 prizes donated from the participating vendors.
All proceeds from the Holiday Craft Faire will benefit the many instrumental bands at Lynbrook High School, which include orchestra, marching band, concert band, wind ensemble and jazz band.
Last year the event raised more than $10,000 and was attended by 2,000 people. The goal is to meet or exceed that amount, said Fujiki.
Some recent examples of how proceeds from this annual fundraising effort are applied include the purchase of new orchestra, wind and percussion instruments, as well as funding to help offset the cost of sending the entire marching band to Long Beach to compete in the Bands of America Regional Championships, said Fujiki.
“Any music program at a high school is expensive, so we really appreciate the support of our parents and vendors, as well as our customers,” Fujiki said. “High school wouldn’t be high school without a music program.”
The instrumental music boosters group is comprised mostly of parents of instrumental music students at the school. More than 100 of those students are expected to volunteer at the event.
More information is available at lynbrook-music.org/events/craft-fair-2013.
