From mayhaw jelly to jewelry, hand-crafted treasures will abound at the St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church Country Club Arts and Craft Fair.

The event, now in its 31st year, returns Friday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 1500 Country Club Road. Admission is free.

“This year we’re expecting around 30 vendors selling homemade items,” said craft fair coordinator Beth Bowers.

Some vendors, like JoAnn Racca who sells Noah’s arks, bird houses and Christmas items, have been displaying for years.

Others, like Stephen Doucet and Leif Pedersen, will be first-timers at the craft fair.

“Stephen Doucet, of Sulphur, will be selling local honey and freeze-dried candy, and Leif Pedersen will be signing and selling copies from his children’s book series, ‘The Adventures of the Swamp Kids,’” said Bowers.

Many craft fair goers have come to expect a bite to eat after they shop, and this year’s craft fair will not disappoint. Concessions will be served. Red beans and rice and barbecue pulled-pork sandwiches will be sold on Friday and Boy Scout Troop 1 will be serving barbecue hamburgers on Saturday. Sweet baked goods will be sold both days.

In addition, the annual St. Luke-Simpson UMC pumpkin patch will be open Oct 4-31.  Pumpkin patch hours are 2 p.m. to dusk Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-dusk Saturdays and noon to dusk on Sundays.

Pumpkins of all sizes will be for sale, and a fall-themed background will be set up for picture-taking opportunities, Bowers said.

The pumpkins are grown by Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, whose farming operations are located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Farmington, N.M.

In cooperation with the Navajo Nation, Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers grows 1,200 acres of pumpkins each year  and employees over 700 Native Americans during the harvest months of September and October.

Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers also has a full-time off-season staff that is comprised entirely of Native Americans.

All proceeds from both the craft fair and the pumpkin patch will go to local, national and international missions.