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Four separate holiday fairs will take place in the Christmas card village of Taylors Falls during the month of November. Each is different, but all will have wonderful gift and decorating items. There is no admission charge to the fairs.

Celebrating 24 years, the Annual Excellent Crafts & Fine Arts Fair with live Celtic music will be held Saturday and Sunday, November 13 and 14 in The Old Depot Memorial Community Center, located at 312 W. Government Street, a block and a half up the hill from Taylors Falls main intersection of Highways 8 and 95. Artisans from Wisconsin and Minnesota will show porcelain, jewelry, quilting, watercolor, pottery, leather work, clothing, stained glass, original prints, weaving, turned wood and hats. Saturday the hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with live traditional Irish music by Dunquin in the afternoon. The hours Sunday are 11 a.m.-5 p.m., with afternoon live hammer dulcimer music of the British Isles by Greenwood Tree.

The next three fairs are part of the Taylors Falls annual Lighting Festival held Thanksgiving weekend.

•The Wassail Party Craft Fair, in its 20th year, takes place Saturday, November 27, between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The craft fair is held in the Memorial Community Center and across the street at the 1852 Town House School. Areas crafters will sell a variety of hand made holiday gift and decorating items including jewelry, dried flower arrangements, turned wood, country wood items, teddy bears, photographs, dolls, jellies and much more. The Taylors Falls annual limited edition Christmas ornament of a Jack-in-the-Box will also be sold here. This fair derives its name from the traditional hot spiced apple cider drink. Swedish egg coffee, goodies and kettle korn will be available.

•Also on Saturday, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., the International Bazaar will be held in the lower level of the 1861 Methodist Church to coincide with the other events taking place in this lovely building.

At 1 p.m. there is a performance of "A Christmas Quilt," by actors Marilyn Mays and Jim Walker.

At 4:30 p.m. the ecumenical Advent Choral Vespers takes place. The church is located at 290 W. Government Street, next to the 1855 Folsom House Museum. These crafts come through SERRV International, an organization that promotes the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by purchasing and marketing their crafts. SERRV sales furnish a vital income for as many as 40,000 economically disadvantaged artisans families in 40 developing regions of the world. Personal items, house decorations, dolls, jewelry, and nativities only start the long list of gifts that will be shown. Bake sale goodies, and lunch meals are also available, along with free coffee.

•Sunday, November 28, All Good Things Come From the Earth Artisan Sale will be set up in the Memorial Community Center between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Members of the Polk County, Wisconsin Earth Arts Group will show wood, inspirational art, pottery, embroidery art, photography, fibers both wearable and designer, and paintings of wild life, florals, landscapes and abstract using oil, watercolors, acrylics, pastels and colored pencils. This is the second year Earth Arts has been part of the festival.

Many other events take place during the Lighting Festival, Friday through Sunday, November 26, 27 and 28. Pick up your complimentary brochures from the shops and restaurants in Taylors Falls during the Festival weekend. For additional information, Wild Mountain will answer questions about the festival by calling 651-465-6315 or visit the website: www.taylorsfallschamber.org.

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