Virginia is the place to be when September comes in, as this is the time when Virginia State Fairs happen. There are a whole bunch of activities one can do here, such as rides, carnival games, good food, and a whole lot more. There are also a few competitions that happen around on a yearly basis, such as pig races and craft shows.

To me, these craft shows are one of the main reasons as to why I find festivals such as the Virginia State Fair appealing. The assortment of various works by different but equally talented craftspeople leave me inspired to the same with my own crafts, which I admit are not yet as good as I want them to be. And it also helps that the fair gives a comforting ambience; the fun mood simply rubs off on everybody.

If you’re in the mood to go to a craft show, like me; but as it happens, it’s not September, don’t worry too much. All you have to do is find an online listing of fairs and festivals that happen around Virginia, and you’ll be able to determine when and where the next craft show will be. As these shows happen all year round, you won’t have a very hard time finding one.

Of course, some events will not be as good as the others, so you’ll have to choose which one to go to carefully. Here’s some piece of advice from me: When you find their virtual fliers on the Web, look for the contact information of their organizers. Feel free to call them up and inquire stuff such as how long they’ve been doing it, how they set up their booths etc. You will delightfully find that most of them are friendly enough to receive your calls, which in turn can give you clues as to how well they manage the event.

Craft shows are one of my favorite parts of the fair, and I encourage anyone to go and attend a few. Doesn’t really matter what time of the year it is, as events are held all year round in Virginia.

It takes more than mental preparation to stay up and handle a booth in a craft fair. There’s more to it than just guarding the booth all day or looking bored about it. As much as possible, first and foremost, the one who should be guarding the booth is the owner himself. This is most recommended when you are a starter at the field of craft fairs. There’s a reason why, and it will be explained later.

Firstly, if this is your first time, it is rather unwise to try and hand your position out to other people when handling a booth in the craft fair. As the owner, it is your responsibility to carry your booth. Just think of the impression people would have when they know that you, as the proprietor, is not available at the site. As the owner, it is your responsibility to promote your products and your booth.

Primp your booth up appropriately and with simple effects. Avoid being an attention grabber too much, especially if you are not sure of what you’re doing (being a newb if you are one). Observe and learn from other people in the fair as well, especially those that seem to have years of experience behind them. Talk and converse, share ideas and learn from the over all experience.

Have at least someone to watch out for you too. You will have to eat and do your “businesses” sometime during the day, so have someone you trust (be it a family member or a relative) to go and stand post in your booth or table while you do your thing. Have that person also be very familiar with your product or craft in case someone comes along and asks about it while you were away.

Handling a booth will be a very different experience each time, but with each experience, you will find that the job will only get easier and easier. Take notice and you won’t have to have a hard time during the craft fair.

The village of Mansfield has been known to celebrate some of the good things of life, like the earlier festival of mushrooms during the last few weeks of the month of April. But this time, during the fall months of September, they celebrate another food classic in a simple festival dedicated to its no-nonsense approach, versatility and timelessness; the simple cornbread. Welcome to the Mansfield Village Cornbread Festival.

The air is very fragrant during the time of the festival’s peak. Autumn leaves add a sweet, earthy scent, the aroma of kettles full of ham and beans, chili, stews and freshly baked cornbread all mix and amble together to create a buffet of scents to the air.

Chance a small parade that will go through downtown that will start and kick off the corn bread festival. The 2006 festival has included the chili cook off and the cornbread bake off, so this means a whole lot more of opportunities for you to show your family recipes. There are lots of cornbread, pumpkins, squash and all other fall goodies to go by.

There is also the Annual Mansfield Village Roller RV Rally for those who enjoy the sight of an RV rally (was being redundant there). Camping and lawn seats included for those who reserve early. The Roller Run will give away hundreds of dollars and cash for prizes and trophies. Dana Auction Company also holds a country auction at Hilltop Farm for those interested to take a look.

There are also other things to keep one’s self busy. Village shops open for visitors who like to go shopping. For those who are more in-tuned to nature, you can visit through the village for a scenic route, see a creek, stroll through a bridge, or just peruse all the ruins in the area. It’s a unique experience that only comes at least a few times in your life.