GILPIN COUNTY — The Gilpin County Community Center felt busy and warm over the weekend of December 13 and 14 as the 22nd annual Winter Arts Festival filled the building with vendors, music, kids, and cookies.

I walked in on Sunday afternoon to see the live band, Joe Wren and the Roadies. There were plenty of vendors. People were browsing. Music drifted through the room. The rockin’ country tunes carried through the building without overpowering conversation. People tapped their feet as they shopped, and a few stopped to listen.

This event has been around a long time, and it shows. Gilpin County was in full holiday swing.

One of my first stops was the cookie decorating table. At Gilpin 4-H, kids were frosting sugar cookies, and I commented that it was edible art. The kids got to eat them after, which felt like the proper reward for all that careful decorating.

Inside, the vendor mix was solid. I stopped at a table run by Mary, who summed up her offerings perfectly when she told me she was selling “a little of this and that.” Her table was filled with small animal figurines, coin purses, keychains, magnets, and other fun finds.

Nearby was Granny’s Boujee Bling, a table full of handmade jewelry and colorful pieces, all priced at $8. The table stayed busy as people browsed and picked out small gifts and stocking stuffers.

I also stopped at Haute Jam, where homemade jams, pickled vegetables, and small gift items were laid out neatly. 

Near one of the vendor aisles, handmade snowmen made from blown-down trees were displayed at the table of Cassidy Gioia of In the Garden Meadow LLC. The pieces were created using wood collected over the past year and assembled by hand.

Each snowman combines cut wood rounds with fabric, ribbon, and small decorative details. Gioia said the snowmen take roughly 45 minutes to an hour and a half to make, depending on size. The use of reclaimed materials tied the pieces directly to the local landscape.

Across the aisle, artwork by Heather Carr of Stray Wolf drew my attention, along with leather curios by El Desolado, all hand-stitched and made to be worn and last a lifetime. Some of the curios, similar to patches, even glow in the dark or are black light reactive. 

Art prints and originals by Danae Fidler filled another space, with wildlife and animals as her main inspiration. Wolves seemed to be the favorite subject for this Black Hawk artist. 

One of the flashiest tables belonged to Sal Vitalore, who makes orgonite creations. Jewelry and sculptural pieces filled the display, including turtles and snails, built layer by layer over several days. 

“The bigger pieces take a little bit longer,” he explained. “You have to let each layer harden before you build the next one.” Using precious gemstones and an eco-epoxy, the orgonite creations are meant to induce healing and calm.

A card at the table read: “It's believed to help purify lower vibrational negative energy, promote emotional healing, and enhance physical well-being. 

"It transforms negative energy into positive orgone energy. It improves overall harmony in living spaces, balances moods, boosts plant growth, decreases sensitivity to electromagnetic frequencies, and helps protect our energetic field from all the harmful wireless waves as well as our pets.”

At another booth, an herbalist from Golden shared tea blends, infused honeys, tinctures, and skin care products. The herbs, she explained, are grown locally whenever possible. I picked up some sore muscle salve for those post-ski days. 

Near the entrance, I spent time talking with volunteers from the High Country Auxiliary. They were there to spread the word about the nonprofit organization that supports the Timberline Fire Protection District, the Gilpin County Animal Rescue Team (GCART), and other emergency service organizations that serve our community. 

They are looking for volunteers for events like the Pancake Breakfast at the Gilpin County Fair, chili fundraisers, and flea markets. All proceeds support local first responders. They also had reflective address signs available for people to take home instead of waiting for delivery. “That’s why this event is helpful,” Diane Anderson said. “People can take them home right here.”

To sign up with the HCA, visit Volunteer Today!

Throughout the weekend, Santa posed for photos, families caught up on some shopping, and the choirs and chorales played for the crowd. The 22nd Gilpin County Winter Arts Festival was a warm reminder of how the mountain community comes together during the holidays.