Where arts and crafts meet flora and fauna
- Share via
It’s fitting that Carpinteria’s Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire is held on a museum’s grounds. After all, the event -- to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in this seaside town along the southern border of Santa Barbara County -- is about preserving the tradition of artisans showcasing and selling their goods.
“People come here for unique, one-of-a-kind arts products, not for something they can find at Ross,” said David Griggs, curator and director of the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History (956 Maple Ave., [805] 684-3112, www.carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org).
To that end, the 85 artisans in this 28th annual edition of the show undergo a lengthy application process to ensure they make their own wares, Griggs said.
In addition, the art pieces -- whether jewelry, wooden toys, quilts, holiday ornaments or oil paintings -- are mostly products of love.
“If you work it out, probably they are making a $1 an hour,” he said. “It’s a creative outlet, oftentimes a passion, and a vindication when someone buys something.”
--
Back to nature
The area’s main industry is agriculture, and an innovative take on this is Seaside Gardens (3700 Via Real, [805] 684-6001, www.seaside-gardens.com), a nursery/demonstration garden/retail center with displays from around the globe.
Along Via Real and Highway 192 are orchid farms, greenhouses and other flora-related businesses. The Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (nrs.ucop.edu) offers flora and fauna in an estuary habitat.
--
Food and drink
Giannfranco’s Trattoria (666 Linden Ave., [805] 684-0720) started an upscale dining renaissance, and its next-door neighbor, Sly’s (686 Linden Ave., [805] 684-6666), is the newest kid on the culinary block. At Corktree Cellars (910 Linden Ave., [805] 684-1400), customers are encouraged to linger over the fancifully named flights of wine.
--
--
latimes.com/guide
We’re in your neighborhood
Visit our tipsheet to SoCal entertainment for more coverage of local spots, including reader reviews and listings.
More to Read
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.