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The festival, managed by the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce, has grown in size and recognition over its 47 years of operation. The juried art show started as the Webb School Art and Craft Show on the school campus and expanded beyond its boundaries. The Bell Buckle community joined in, opening up their properties to vendors and for parking. While the original juried section still exists under the Webb School Arts and Crafts Show, the festival encompasses many city blocks. It enables a diverse offering of handcrafted goods, food, and other items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Williams said, \u201cWe have a lot of fantastic jewelers, hand-turned and hand-carved wood items, personalized items, and metal art. People look for that item that is unique or handcrafted because they’re coming here buying gifts they can’t buy at the department stores.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The food selection offers a variety that is synonymous with the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere’s just about anything you can ask for here, from woodfired pizzas to traditional fair food like hotdogs, corndogs, and barbecue. We have Asian food, tacos, and just about anything you could imagine,\u201d Williams said <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Managing the growing size of the craft fair has presented challenges. The fair relied on local volunteers in the past, but additional measures were necessary as the attendance numbers surged. Emergency management became an integral part of the event’s organization. Local law enforcement, including the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, were hired, and ambulances were strategically placed at both exits of the town to ensure the safety and well-being of attendees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jenny Hunt, treasurer and public relations director for the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce, said, \u201cThe majority of people come on Saturday. People think all the good stuff is there on Saturday, and they’re going to run out of things. Though it sometimes happens, vendors know what they’ve got to have for a show like this and are prepared. So Sunday is a good day to come instead to beat the crowd.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The impact of the Webb Craft Fair on the local economy cannot be overstated. Homeowners, who serve as individual organizers, benefit significantly from the event. The influx of visitors brings economic prosperity to the town, supporting local businesses and residents alike. The fair’s reputation has spread through various media outlets, including Southern Living features and the Smithsonian recognition. As a result, the festival receives widespread attention, attracting even more visitors each year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s more than the event and the tangible things it offers. It\u2019s an experience that can hardly be found anywhere else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it’s a unique experience,\u201d Williams said. \u201cBell Buckle is such a tiny little town to be able to host something as large as this and have people enjoy it comfortably. It’s a feel-good place. I think they leave with the courtesy and invitation of a small town, not just the shopping experience. We\u2019re a welcoming place to be.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bell Buckle is a town that transports you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Williams and the town agree. \u201cOur theme here is \u201cclose to home, but a world away,\u201d and it\u2019s true,\u201d she said. \u201cWe’re an hour from Nashville, but it feels like a step back in time.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n When better to step back in time than as leaves of yellow, red, and orange abandon the canopy that was summer\u2019s shade and carpet a storybook town in the wonder of the changing seasons? GN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" EACH SEASON brings its traditions, but few compare to one annual kickoff to fall and holiday shopping. Unfazed by weather fluctuations, only thunderstorms send shoppers scattering to shelter. When the small town of Bell Buckle, with a population of approximately 500, welcomes over 100,000 visitors the third weekend of October, summer vacates our hearts, fall […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":20806,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/shelbyville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/09\/3-4-1024x683.png\")