SARATOGA SPRINGS –Locals will have the opportunity once again to join the fight against worldwide poverty while doing holiday shopping at the second annual Saratoga Fair Trade Market Expo on December 5 at Universal Preservation Hall.
The Fair Trade Market Expo is an easy way for the community to skip the crowded malls for a day and lend a hand to artisans in the developing world, giving them the opportunity to earn an honorable loving for themselves and their families. Everything on sale at the market has been made under fair trade conditions, meaning the artisans and producers received fair compensation for their labor, enjoyed safe workplaces and created their goods using environmentally friendly practices.
On December 5, the market opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. This year’s market will feature several vendors with roots in Saratoga Springs, including Mango Tree Imports, The Bosnian Handcraft Project, AOET Uganda, The Giving Circle, Healthy Living Market and Drilling for Hope.
Some of the unique projects that shoppers will see are hand-poured beeswax candles, Ugandan jewelry, wood carvings from Guatemala, and Mayan hand-woven textiles such as scarves, bags, table linens and ornaments. There will be handmade quilts from Vietnam, baskets and handbags from Africa and Asia, sweaters, slippers and jewelry from Bosnia, plus much more. There will also be a scavenger hunt all day with prizes for kids.
Universal Preservation Hall is located at 25 Washington Street in Saratoga Springs.
The Fair Trade Market Expo is hosted by the Bosnian Handcraft Project and New Life Fellowship of Saratoga. For more information, call Mary Jo Kowalewski at 518-587-4785.
