Rapid City SD – There were several bazaars throughout the Black Hills today. But what is a bazaar? And what happens at one o’clock?

Bazaars are a must-see in the Black Hills. But many don’t know what it is. It’s similar to a fundraiser, usually for a charity, such as the First Methodist Church, which raises money for local mission trips. Laree Mayes, president of United Woman in Faith at First Methodist Church, said, “It’s an opportunity to do some shopping, sometimes Christmas shopping. There will be separate stalls for different types of items. We sell a lot of crafts made by people. Some bazaars invite vendors, and they are all organized this way. Our particular mess is our ideas and our things.

While Halloween has been over for a few days, Christmas shopping is starting to pick up again. Many people who purchased items at these events were looking for more unique gifts. Tammy Flores, a member of Atonement Lutheran Church, said, “I think it’s because everything is homemade. Everything is homemade. Even our pumpkin pies. The pumpkin pie ladies prepare the pumpkin. It didn’t come out of a can. It’s really delicious. And I think that really attracts a lot of people because they know it’s good local produce, good ingredients and good food. Mayes added: “A little less commercial and a little more unique and sometimes handmade items are more interesting and more desirable to people. »

There was a wide variety of people who frequented these bazaars. Samantha McCully, Bazaar president at Pinedale Elementary School, said, “Everyone. It’s a mix of young and old. Everyone is here to see what we have. We have a lot of new sellers this year, and many of them are old staples as well. It’s a great mix of everything you would want. Flores added: “Everyone. I don’t know, they’re all over town, you know. It’s nice to see. I was really surprised that we already had such a flow of people here. For example at 8:00 a.m., some were there at 7:00 a.m.

Many people in attendance were there to support the local community. McCully added, “I think I support their community members and the people in the community. You buy local, you support local, and that’s the big effort that we do for our school because we always ask our community to help us, by raising money for certain things.

Most of these events take place every year. Some are in their 42nd year, like Pinedale Elementary. So, be sure to look out for some local bazaars in the area next year.