Ole Applegate Craft Fair Moving

[mcheiss]

I don't know how many of you heard, but it looks like the Ole Applegate Craft Fair is moving from it's current location to Mulbery Mountain, a 650-acre lodging and event facility, located north of Ozark. Mulberry Mountain is about 45 minutes from Fayetteville.

The plans for the current land at Applegate are to develop it in several phases. When it

[masons_dad1]

I don't know how many of you heard, but it looks like the Ole Applegate Craft Fair is moving from it's current location to Mulbery Mountain, a 650-acre lodging and event facility, located north of Ozark. Mulberry Mountain is about 45 minutes from Fayetteville.

The plans for the current land at Applegate are to develop it in several phases. When it

[Mith242]

Yeah I heard about this. It's too bad they decided to move it. But I think they said it was getting too big to be held at it's current location. But it might have been nice if they had found a closer location.

[mcheiss]

I would have rather seen it moved to somewhere out near War Eagle, but I don't think there's enough space. Some people will still stay in hotels up here, but I would assume most will stay in the Fort Smith Area or at the resort. It does help the current traffic situation in Bentonville. I don't know how bad traffic is in Washington County on craft fair weekend, but in Rogers and especially Bentonville traffic is snarled and backs up for miles. You can't get anywhere during craft fair week, which is next week for all you craft fairers.

[Mith242]

I would have rather seen it moved to somewhere out near War Eagle, but I don't think there's enough space. Some people will still stay in hotels up here, but I would assume most will stay in the Fort Smith Area or at the resort. It does help the current traffic situation in Bentonville. I don't know how bad traffic is in Washington County on craft fair weekend, but in Rogers and especially Bentonville traffic is snarled and backs up for miles. You can't get anywhere during craft fair week, which is next week for all you craft fairers.

I think it could have worked at War Eagle. I got the impression this new site basically made them an offer and they took it. I don't think any other area made them any offers.

[Thia]

I would have rather seen it moved to somewhere out near War Eagle, but I don't think there's enough space. Some people will still stay in hotels up here, but I would assume most will stay in the Fort Smith Area or at the resort. It does help the current traffic situation in Bentonville. I don't know how bad traffic is in Washington County on craft fair weekend, but in Rogers and especially Bentonville traffic is snarled and backs up for miles. You can't get anywhere during craft fair week, which is next week for all you craft fairers.

It's close to impossible to get a room in Fayetteville during the craft fairs but I've never noticed even a blip in Fayetteville's in town traffic on those weekends. Really the closest fairs are Spdl Holiday Inn, Jones Center, and War Eagle.

The craft fairs are on the weekend of Oct 19-22. That is also the Ole Miss Razorback game weekend. The whole NWA region will be rockin'.

[mcheiss]

Yeah, traffic will be hell all of that week, wether you're in Fayetteville or Bentonville.

[masons_dad1]

I just realized that the Mulberry River Mountain resort ranch that Ole Applegate is moving to is the same resort ranch that my wife and I stayed at several years ago. Of course that was before we were married and the ranch was called Spirit Mountain back then. What a wonderful place for the festival to be moving to. I hope they don't touch Annie's Cabin because that's where we stayed. It's the most rustic, yet cozy cabin we've ever stayed in. The Lodge is very impressive with something like 8 or 10 bedrooms scattered about with a few in hidden lofts. There's one bedroom that you literally have to climb a ladder to get to and is nothing more than a bed and a window.

www.mulberryriverranch.com

[masons_dad1]

BTW... I took my family to the Applegate Fair yesterday and now I'm glad it's leaving. It's not nearly as big as War Eagle and I didn't see many crafts at all that I liked. And the concessions are too expensive... $6 for a sandwich, $6 for chips, $6 for a hot dog! Good riddance!

[Mith242]

Even if you aren't interested in it yourself I still wouldn't say good riddance. It still brings in money for our area even if you don't go to it.

[mcheiss]

Even if you aren't interested in it yourself I still wouldn't say good riddance. It still brings in money for our area even if you don't go to it.

[masons_dad1]

^

It sucks for the city but I'm sure it won't be missed by people who just went there to shop. It was my first time there and it just wasn't worth it when War Eagle is easily 3 times bigger and has decent prices for food and a spectacular creekside picnic area.

The only reason I said "good riddance" is because I consider Applegate Fair a ripoff that shouldn't be missed. Not when we have War Eagle Fair, which, btw, should pick up a lot of Applegates customers next year. I heard several folks say that it was moving too far out of the way to bother.