This article is from Sydney WeekendNotes for Wednesday the 1st of April 2009

On the first Sunday of every month (including this Sunday) the St Ives Heritage Craft Fair is held at the St Ives Showground, from 9am to 3pm.

This fair is quite unique in that it only caters to Australian handmade crafts. There are no second hand, factory made, or imported goods on display.

It's a real treat to wander around the 250 different stalls and see what local artisans are capable of producing. You are guaranteed to find something that appeals to your taste, no matter how eccentric your inner asthete.

You'll find painting, sculpture, furniture, homewares, jewellery, clothes, toys, and other thingamajigs which defy classification.

The fair has also recently added a "Foods , organic foods, fresh foods and Growers section" within the existing market, a move which I thoroughly applaud. There is nothing like nibbling on gourmet food as you admire the work of the country's best artisans.

As if the stalls and food were not enough, the organisers also provide entertainment, most of it geared toward keeping the young ones happy.

The fair website has a good how to get there section. Note that parking costs $5.


Why? See the work of some of Australia's best craftspeople.