One of Jackson Clutts’, junior, favorite past vendors at the annual fall band-assisted craft fair was a woman who sold handmade, entirely customizable sweaters.

“If you wanted you could ask her to make a personally made sweater out of whatever you want, whatever design you want,” Clutts said. 

The chance that she will likely attend again this year is just one reason why he’s excited to be participating in the fair.

The craft fair, which is organized by the marching band students and staff, will occur on Saturday, Oct. 1 in both of Marquette’s gyms. The money raised from the event will go to the marching band and will be used to provide lunch for them during activities and for maintaining their equipment, among other things.

Marching band students have a wide range of tasks available for them in preparation for and during the fair.

“For band kids you can either help out unloading the day before the craft fair or you can be at the craft fair helping out, or since the marching band is getting funding for it, the marching band will have a set amount of kids walk through and play a couple show tunes,” Clutts said.

Although the fair hasn’t occurred in the last two years due to COVID, Clutts said he anticipates a large turnout this year.

“There’s always a good amount of people there. There’s always an audience for it,” Clutts said.

Trista Seiffert, freshman, is a member of the marching band and will be assisting vendors at set up for the event, but also will be selling jewelry at her own stand.

Seiffert said she makes jewelry that people would wear on a day-to-day basis.

“I make earrings and necklaces and some bracelets,” Seiffert said. “I just hope it would help me raise some money for me because I’m kind of broke right now. I spent all of my money and I bought a phone.” 

Sneha Deo, freshman, said signups for the fair are required for everyone in the marching band.

“I know a lot of people are really pumped up for it and really excited for it, and I am too because it’s my first year and I’ve heard so many good things about it from my seniors,” Deo said.

Deo said the craft fair is also a great opportunity to volunteer with friends who come to the craft fair and it is a great learning experience,

“We are signing up to help run the craft fair, and we all sign up for different positions, so I think it’s an opportunity to learn more volunteering skills, and how that works,” Deo said. “I know as you get older volunteering is something really beneficial to have on your resume.”

Deo said that on Friday before the craft fair, the marching band will help to show vendors around and help them to set up.