The Share & Repair Fair is designed to help you save money, reduce waste, build DIY skills, and learn alongside your neighbors. Combining a fix-it-fair, clothing swap and skill share, this event is presented by The RE Store and features local organizations, upcyclers and trades people who are passionate about reducing waste and teaching others. Bring something that’s broken, things you don’t use, or a question to ask!
Interested in volunteering at the Share & Repair Fair? Learn more and see what shifts are available!
Sunday, October 18th | 12 – 4 p.m.
Pioneer Pavilion, 2007 Cherry Street, Ferndale, WA
Services and repairs you’ll find:
- Knife sharpening
- Leather conditioning
- Jewelry repair
- Toy repair
- Bicycle repair
- DIY resources from WCLS
- Instrument repair
- Textile mending
- Ask an Expert: Home repair and building pros will be available to answer any questions you have. Bring photos and even sound recordings!
- Upcycling craft activity for kiddos
Things to bring to share or swap:
- Clothes
- Hand tools
- Art supplies
- Pantry staples & garden surplus
- Garden seeds
This is a great opportunity for folks to dig through their closets, garages, or pantries and find things they don’t use that others might.
Things you can bring to donate or possibly find:
Pantry staples & garden surplus
Sustainable Connections will be collecting pantry staples and garden surplus. Here’s what will and will not be accepted.
- Washed whole fruits and vegetables from the store or garden
- Baked goods from home and commercial donors, including cookies, sweet breads, and muffins. (Items must be individually wrapped, labeled, and dated) No temperature-sensitive items
- Unopened, commercially packaged items, including boxes, cans, and bagged grains and cereals. Baked goods from home and commercial donors
- No raw meats
- No home cooked meals
- No rotting food
- No pre-opened home items
- No non-perishable items more than six months past their expiration date
Clothing
Whatcom County Health and Community Services will be hosting a clothing swap. Clothing must be donated ahead of time and will not be accepted at the Fair. The following clothing categories will be at the Fair:
- Adult women’s tops and pants
- Adult men’s tops and pants
- Dresses and skirts
- Children’s clothing
- Outerwear
- Accessories (purses, belts, scarves, etc.)
- Soiled, ripped or damaged items
- Undergarments
- Shoes
Seeds
Washington State Extension will be hosting a seed swap! Along with your plentiful harvest, you can bring your surplus of seed for your fellow gardeners’ next-year gardens! Small envelopes will be available for sharing.
Hand tools
The RE Store will be hosting a share table for hand tools. Bring your human powered tools only—no battery operated or plug-in tools.
Art supplies
Allied Arts and MakerSpace will be hosting an Art Supplies share table. Here are a few of thing things you can bring or might find:
- Carving tools
- Colored pencils, pens, pastells, ink, markers
- Crayons
- Glue
- Paint: watercolor, acrylic or tempera
- Paint brushes
- Paper
- Rollers
- Squeegees
- Stamps and pads stencils
- “Potholder” or small table looms
- Transfer letters and numbers
- Small molds
Things you can bring to be repaired or restored:
The Share & Repair Fair will be focusing on a watch and learn model so you can pull up a chair beside the fixers in our community who generously volunteer their time and expertise to help keep items in use and out of the landfill!
Clothing
Ragfinery and the Fix-it Fair will be mending and and hosting a patch bar for clothing.
Bring clean clothing items to be repaired or patched. Add some pizazz to a well-loved article of clothing at the patch bar! Bring a garment, choose a patch, and we’ll show you how to sew it on. Patches can cover holes, rips, worn fabric, and even ugly logos. Visit the patch bar to learn how easy it is to repair and individualize your clothes. Bring your own patches to use or donate, or choose one of ours. All clothing except undergarments are eligible. No zipper replacement. Fabric donations welcome.
Bicycles
The Hub Community Bike Shop will be repairing bicycles and Whatcom County Library System will be loaning bicycle tools from their library of things. The Hub will not be fixing electric bikes, bleeding hydraulic brake, or working on suspension systems.
Knives and tools
Bring your kitchen knives and have them sharpened by an expert. Plus, you’ll learn how to sharpen them yourself. No serrated knives. Scissors, pruners, and similar tools are welcome. Please bring a protective sheath or container for post sharpening!
Leather goods
Bring your leather goods (boots, wallets, bags, etc.) and learn how to give them new life with proper car and conditioning.
Jewlery
Folks from the Fix-It Fair will be doing minor jewelry fixes.
Toys
Toy Repair
Musical instruments
Bellingham Wind Works be will doing basic instrument repair, case repair, and answering questions about specifically brass, woodwinds, harmonica, accordions, most orchestral instruments.
Champlin Guitars will offer basic repair and evaluation of stringed instruments as well as demonstrations.
Kids activities
Bellingham MakerSpace will offer an upcycling craft activity for kids (although they must be accompanied by an adult).
Volunteer at the fair!
The Share & Repair Fair is looking for volunteers on October 18th! Help set up, assist patrons and booth partners, weigh waste savings, or break down. Shifts are available in two(ish)-hour blocks from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Meet your neighbors, learn something new, and make a difference!
If you have questions, you can email Seth Mangold: SethM@re-sources.org.