Medina Square visitors enjoy crafts, art, entertainment at Affair on the Square

MEDINA — Arts and crafts enthusiasts and peddlers packed Public Square Sunday to sell and shop for treasures as part of an annual summertime tradition. Affair on the Square, hosted by Creative Show Promotions, consisted of numerous craft makers showing off and selling their creations. Live musical acts performing in the gazebo added to the day's festivities. Creative Show Promotions owner Linda Loveless said this is the 30th year Affair on the Square has been held and said it always offers a wide variety of merchandise to observe and purchase. "We have over 160 vendors or makers of crafts and homemade foods and vintage items to just shop through," she said. "The whole square is full. We had a sold-out crowd and had a waiting list of about 15 people who wanted to be in the show, so it's been popular this year." In addition, multiple food trucks lined up along South Broadway Street offering everything from Philly cheesesteaks to cupcakes. Several vendors offered food and beverages in the square itself as well. Visitors also had the opportunity to enjoy live music at the gazebo. This year's performers were Victor Samalot and Bobbi Holt, followed by the acoustic and vocal duo Parsons and Polk. Loveless said the idea for Affair on the Square came following a successful show she coordinated about 35 years ago. "I did a craft show as a fundraiser for the kindergarten center that used to be here," she said. "It went well, and the vendors were asking, 'Are you ever going to do any other shows?' So I hooked up with a couple of other moms, and we started doing shows at the community center out at the fairgrounds." During that time, Loveless said, another craft show was already taking place on the square. Some time later, she said, that craft show had ended, and she and the coordinators of her show moved her show to the square. Loveless said anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people attend Affair on the Square each year. This year, she said, she believes anywhere from 5,000 to 6,000 visitors showed up. "It's been a very steady, big crowd," she said. Loveless said this summertime tradition serves not only as a way for visitors to not only enjoy the crafts and vintage items the exhibitors have to offer, but also as a way to support local businesses and artists. "I just think there's a nice variety of all kinds of crafts and some fun things here," she said. In addition to Affair on the Square, Loveless said, Creative Show Promotions also coordinates the Medina Home and Garden Show held annually in March at the Medina County Community Center, 735 Lafayette Road. She said she is already working on preparing for that show next March. Contact reporter Scott Kriska at (330) 721-4050 or skriska@medina-gazette.com.