The jingle of Christmas bells will soon fill the air, signifying the festive season’s arrival, so what better way to prepare for it than by attending one of Moose Jaw’s largest craft shows.
The Whistlestop Christmas Craft Sale is a two-day event at the Moose Jaw Exhibition Centre that occurs Friday, Oct. 20, from 2 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entry is $5 for people 12 and older, while it’s free for those under 12.
With more than 50 vendors promoting various art, crafts and food, attending this event is usually a favourite way for most people to kick off the fall and winter seasons.
The event was started in 1995 by Shelley Bader, who died in May 2021. Shelley loved craft shows and travelled to as many as she could, often inviting vendors she liked to visit Moose Jaw for Whistlestop. She also had a hand in other craft shows and kept very busy with this passion.
Shelley’s son Matthew and his wife Kimber now run the craft show, which makes Whistlestop a generational family tradition.
“I started helping out at the show in 2008, and Matthew grew up helping out with Whistlestop and going to craft sales with his mom,” Kimber Bader told the Moose Jaw Express in a previous interview. “We love it, and we’re happy to keep doing it.”
The name comes from the event’s first location at the old CPR train station. A “whistle stop” is a small town where the train wasn’t regularly scheduled, only stopping when signalled or whistled.
Whistlestop focuses on handmade, home-crafted goods. Most of the craftsmen at the show are from Saskatchewan, while some are coming from Alberta and Manitoba to participate.
“Shelley really loved the handmade goods,” Bader said.
The Baders have kept the event’s focus on that handmade goods aspect and attempt to have a good representation of all crafts, from knitted items and personalized wood carvings to Christmas ornaments and sweets and baked goods.
Many vendors also return every year because of how successful and well-attended the event is.
The craft show took a brief break during the pandemic, but Bader said the past couple of years have had good turnouts despite public health restrictions in place. She noted that that showed organizers how important a tradition Whistlestop has become in Moose Jaw — it’s part of how many people begin the Christmas season.
Decorated Christmas trees will be scattered through the building, with popular items such as advent calendars, personalized ornaments, wreaths, snowmen, Nativity scenes, lights, and more adding to the festive theme.
“We’re really looking forward to it, it’s going to be a busy weekend,” Bader added. “There’s a lot of local talent at the show this year, too, which is great.”
Visit the Whistlestop Christmas Craft Sale’s social media pages for more information about the event and the vendors who will be attending.
In response to some providers blocking access to Canadian news on their platforms, our website, MooseJawToday.com will continue to be your source for hyper-local Moose Jaw news. Bookmark MooseJawToday.com and sign up for our free online newsletter to read the latest local developments.
