BURLINGTON, Ky. — Vendors lined the Boone County Fairgrounds on Saturday for the First of Fall Festival. Mandy Arlinghaus said she’s the coordinator of this inaugural event. She helps operate a crafting business and saw a need for something like this. 

“We noticed that there wasn’t really a lot of big handmade craft shows here in this area, and we decided to fill the need. The goal is to have the largest handmade craft show here in Boone County,” she said.

Arlinghaus, her family and some friends helped her pull this off. Open Box Outlet, a furniture discount store, was also set up. They were there to help point people in the right direction as a voluntary act of service to help Arlinghaus, who they said is a good friend.

“We’ve had a few people show up looking for very specific people. People like to shop these small businesses. It’s definitely a hometown feel,” Amanda Tribble, with Open Box Outlet, said.

Part of the hometown feel was Annie Brown. She was set up at the fairgrounds for this three-day event operating Laughing Bees.

“I make the world’s best honey caramels. I call them laughing bees because I like to think bees are happy with what I’m doing with their honey,” Brown said.

It’s a way to bring some love for local vendors and crafters as they transition from summer to fall. It’s something Arlinghaus said exceeded her expectations with all kinds of people coming out.

“Getting people here was my biggest worry I think, and they came out and I couldn’t be more honored that they came out and checked us all out,” Arlinghaus said.