Pahrump Arts Council to hold Arts and Crafts Fair

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting the kibosh on public events over the past seven or eight months, the Pahrump Arts Council, better known as PAC, has been struggling to generate cash for its coffers.

The nonprofit organization relies heavily on public events for fundraising but for months, no one has been able to hold community events, which has created a bit of a financial pinch for PAC. However, now that public events are starting to make their way back onto the community calendar, PAC President Ginger Forbes said she is hopeful that residents will come out and support the group.

The first event PAC has been able to hold since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada, its seasonal arts and crafts event, took place over Halloween weekend on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31. However, it wasn’t quite as successful as event organizers had hoped it would be, so they are crossing their fingers that the next event, scheduled for Nov. 13 and 14, will see a much bigger turnout.

Forbes told the Pahrump Valley Times that the arts and crafts event over the Halloween weekend saw an “OK” turnout but weather seemed to be a dissuading factor for attendance. “It was also a bad weekend with it being Halloween and Nevada Day. We had some traffic, but just not great,” Forbes stated. She also remarked that it was difficult to get the word out and many people simply didn’t know the event was even taking place. That’s why she wants to put such an emphasis on advertising the upcoming Seasonal Arts and Crafts Fair, which is coming at a perfect time for residents who want to start picking up unique, special gifts for the coming holidays.

“We have a little more time to plan this round, and our advertising should be going up sooner this time. Hopefully the weather will not be such an issue,” Forbes said, adding, “It is so important that the Pahrump Arts Council get back to bringing in some cash after all of the months of not being able to hold events. Nonprofits have a rough time when we can’t hold our normal events.”

Forbes also remarked that events of this type are not just key for the organizations that hold them, they are equally imperative for the many vendors who utilize these kinds of events as a way to get their products and creations in front of the members of the community.

“It’s important to our artists and to our crafters for them to be able to show and sell their own works and creations. This is why we are doing these events, so they have a place to exhibit and make some money too. We had some incredible art over Halloween weekend and the people that create these amazing crafts are so talented! People need to come out and see what they have to offer,” Forbes stated.

The PAC Seasonal Arts and Crafts Fair is set for Friday, Nov. 13 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NyE Communities Coalition Activities Center, 1020 E. Wilson Road.

For more information contact PAC at info@pvpac.org or visit www.pvpac.org

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com