Oct 16, 2014 3 min read

The Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today through Sunday and Oct. 25 and 26.

More than 230 booths will include artists, craftsmen and food vendors from 13 states. Martha Dougherty, a photographer from West Alexander, will be among the local exhibitors.

Dougherty’s career began when she received her first camera at age 12. She has been participating in the craft show circuit since 1979, when she entered her first show at Citizens Library.

“This opened up a whole new world for me,” she said. “I have all of these pictures that I have taken, and I can get money for them.”

Dougherty has a photo library of more than 800 slides, which she recently converted to videotape for a family history of her three children from birth through marriage.

She specializes in Heritage Americana, which includes old barns, mills, wooden carousel horses and covered bridges. Many of the old barns, which she photographed in 1980, have been demolished.

Her favorite photo, however, is the Mays Covered Bridge, located about a half mile from her home. Dougherty shot the photo in January 1980.

“It was zero degrees that day,” she said. “The night before, a big, heavy fog rolled in. My husband and I awoke early, just before sunrise, and drove over to the bridge.

“The water had frozen onto the tree branches and bushes. It was like time had stopped and just froze everything. … I’ll never forget the fog that lingered for a few days.”

Other local exhibitors at the festival will include:

• Peter Belski of Daisytown – wooden toys and doll furniture;

• Candy and Jim Fiazza of Burgettstown – silver chainmaille and hand-crafted jewelry;

• Sandy and John Gray of Roscoe – rhinestone and studded ladies’ apparel;

• Debra Know of Claysville – country primitive papier-mâché sculpture, lights and Christmas trees;

• Mary Ann Lutz of Rices Landing – home and garden flags;

• Karen Moore and Paula Simpson of McDonald – painted wood;

• Melissa Pirosko of Venetia – Christmas book and activity;

• Barbara Thompson of Washington – alpaca clothing and products.

There also will be musical performances by Shelly McCombie and the Carrola Brothers, and the Trinity High School chorus will perform today.

In addition, there will trolley rides, face-painting, balloon animals and a Santa’s sleigh display.

Tickets are $6 for adults; $5.50 for senior citizens 65 and older; and $1 for 6- to 12-year-olds. Children under 6 are free.

For more information, call 724-863-4577, or visit www.familyfestivals.com.