Just over the bridge in Haddonfield, New Jersey, this weekend will hold two days jam-packed with creative makers and unique finds with the return of the Crafts and Fine Art Festival. The outdoor event, sponsored by Subaru, will be in full swing Saturday, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Now in its 31st year, the activation will take over the charming New Jersey town to showcase over 200 artists from the region and beyond—but 2025 will also feature a “prehistoric twist.”
This year, the festival will host the Celebrate Haddy Contest where participating artists can put out their own creative spin on Haddonfield’s well-known dinosaur statue. Haddy was built in downtown Haddonfield to commemorate the World’s First Dinosaur Skeleton Discovery in 1858. The 8-foot tall, 18-foot long bronze dinosaur honors “hadrosaurus foulki”, the world’s first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton. It’s a focal point of the town, and the event every year.
On top of the contest, the selection of finds from participating vendors will span ceramics, glass, jewelry, wood, fiber, paper, drawings, paintings, photography, and wearable art—all of which is handmade. Restaurants and local retailers will also overtake the festival’s footprint in town, which spans Kings Highway between Washington Avenue and Haddon Avenue and along Tanner Street to Euclid Avenue.
The Emerging Artists Area on Kings Court will also be back this year, and includes student glass blowers from Salem Community College, student ceramics artists from Camden County College, Markheim pottery students, and works from the Perkins Center for the Arts’ Pottery Associates Program.
The Markeim Arts Center booth will also have a dinosaur-themed make-and-take craft station for kids. Families can additionally find face painters, henna stations, and Morgan & Olivia’s Unique Boutique Slime Shop — a stop where kids can buy slime or make their own to take home.
This free event is easily accessible from area bridges or by taking the PATCO Speed Line to the heart of the shopping district. Parking in Haddonfield is also free on Sunday.
The Crafts and Fine Art Festival was started 30 years ago by Barbara Boroff, owner of Renaissance Craftables. Now passed down as a family business; daughter-in-law Maria Veneziano is the lead organizer in conjunction with the Partnership for Haddonfield.
“It’s a testament to the incredible artists and crafters and the residents of South Jersey and the tri-state area that this show has had such longevity,” Veneziano cited in past statement.
The Haddonfield Crafts and Fine Art Festival is free to attend. More information and details can be found online at downtownhaddonfield.com
