The Rolla Downtown Business Association (RDBA) will host the 20th Arts and Crafts Festival in downtown Rolla from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. The event will coincide with homecoming activities at the University of Missouri-Rolla.

After a one-year break, the event will return stronger than ever, according to Dave McKee of the RDBA. “We are bringing it back because we heard from UMR alumni who liked it, vendors who liked it, and it attracted people to our downtown,” says McKee. “This is a great way to get people together.”

The festival will be held on Pine Street, from 7th to 12th streets. A food court featuring burgers, brats, funnel cakes, kettle corn, and hot cider will be located at 9th and Elm Street, across from Rolla City Hall. In addition, family friendly activities like face painting are being planned.

“This is a great fall event,” says Marcinda Redburn, who is helping to coordinate the vendor booths for this year’s event. Vendors are expected to display a variety of hand-crafted specialty goods, such as framed artwork, pottery, jewelry, wood items, quilts, clothing and other household décor items.  

“The downtown businesses welcome this partnership with UMR, and we love to host homecoming guests at this downtown event,” says Lonna Stephenson, another one of the organizers.