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TRIADELPHIA - The fifth annual "Christmas At The Highlands" craft show kicks off the local holiday season this weekend at The Highlands Sports Complex.
A total of 316 booths featuring 218 vendors will be present for what is billed as "West Virginia's largest craft show."
Doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
There will also be a "sensory hour" from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday to accommodate those who cannot handle crowds and noise.
Admission is $4 and money raised will benefit the Wayne Wilhelm Memorial Scholarships. These are awarded to career and technical students at Wheeling Park High School who wish to attend a trade school.
The event is organized by KC Productions and Kevin and Anne Carroll, who operate "A Touch of Amish." They established the scholarship fund in honor of Anne's father who was a farmer and "a very intelligent man," Kevin Carroll explained.
"He worked on tractors, wood and he welded," Carroll said of his father-in-law. "He was self-taught. He was a dairy farmer who turned beef farmer.
"We decided to do this because when you go to high school awards ceremonies there are always college scholarships awarded. The trade schools always fall short."
A total of five $1,000 scholarships will be passed on to students, according to Carroll. He expects at least 8,000 people to attend the three-day event.
"Our seasonal pride and joy is in year number five," he said. "We're all set to go."
During the sensory hour, holiday music will be turned off, Carroll said.
"This time is for those people who want to get out, but don't want to be around crowds," he explained. "It is for those who can't do noise or handle all that commotion.
"This is also a good time for parents with autistic kids to come. The music will be shut off and there will not be a lot of people there."
Carroll promises a variety of vendors at the show. He noted that over 175 applications were rejected because they duplicated vendors already established and slated to be there.
"We could fill it (the event), but we don't," he said. "We want to make sure individual vendors have their opportunities."
More than 100 of the vendors are considered local, Carroll continued. Others come from as far away as Michigan, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
Among the items available will be metal works, wood works, premiere crafts, soaps and crochet items. There will also be three different wineries present.
Those entering the craft show will get a ticket to be able to enter a drawing to win two tickets to the Steelers-Ravens game in Pittsburgh on Dec. 20. The tickets are for prime seating and are valued at $700.
The tickets are being provided by World Class Roofing, a sponsor for "Christmas At The Highlands."