PASCO, Wash. – The beloved Custer’s Christmas Arts and Crafts Show is making its return to the Hapo Center, offering a wide array of seasonal trinkets and unique, artisanal crafts.
This event, a staple in the inland Northwest for 30 years in Pasco and 50 for their Spokane iteration, offers a wide array of handmade goodies perfect for the holiday season.
The show doesn’t just feature Christmas items though. According to Cheryl Custer-Branz, it is a showcase of fine art, handcrafts and specialty foods.
Photography, pottery, jewelry, painting and watercolors are just a few of the other arts represented at the event. There are 150 booths, each showcasing the individual work of artists.
Artists like Todd Sherwood, a talented photographer from Idaho whose art captures the essence of rural life. Sherwood shared that his journey into photography began during his time in the Air Force. His passion for photography remained a hobby throughout his career until his retirement four years ago. Now, it has become his profession.
The show attracts local artists from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Custer-Branz emphasized the variety of artists participating each year. “We always try to have a mix of everybody’s favorites who have been coming for so long but then new artists that are joining us every year as well,” she said.
“This show was the show that allowed my parents to hire my husband to come work with them,” she said. “Clint and I have been here for all 30 of these events. The company is celebrating its 50th year this year.”
Cheryl expressed her passion for the arts and crafts industry, highlighting the joy of creating a platform for artists to showcase their work.
“It is a joy to create an opportunity for these artists to sell their work in person, and that’s the big thing. You’re talking to the person who made the work,” she said.
The full schedule can be found on their website here.
