The Fourth Annual University Union Craft Show will take place just in time for the holiday shopping season this year.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, local vendors will display and sell their homemade crafts to the public in the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Jon Crask, arts and crafts coordinator, said he expects to have a variety of handmade yard ornaments, knitted clothes, quilts, Christmas ornaments and embroidery, among other items.

“The craft show gives our artists and craft vendors access to the university community,” Crask said. “It is also a prime opportunity for students to go Christmas shopping somewhere other than Wal-Mart.”

Prices will vary widely to accommodate all budgets, he said.

“Generally, you pay for what you get, and everything is priced reasonably,” Crask said. “The quality of the items is a lot higher and will be priced accordingly.”

In the past, Crask said people have been pleased with the prices of the quality products and he has not heard any complaints thus far.

This year, all vendors will be local artists. However, he said in past shows staff and students have participated.

Staff and community vendors pay a $50 set-up fee, while student vendors pay $40, Crask said. All vendors keep the money they make from selling their products and are not required to pay the Union any of their profit.

“Students already help run the Union with their student fees, so we don’t charge them as much,” he said.

Crask and Ted Hart, assistant director of the Union, said a good turnout is expected, based on past shows.

“At this point, we have no idea how many vendors will be there,” Hart said. “We’ve had a lot of requests for information but no way of knowing until Thursday.”

The craft show began as a suggestion from Shirley Stewart, acting vice president for student affairs, Hart and Crask said.

Crask and Hart said they are also considering ways to improve future craft shows.

Next year, student groups may be able to set up informational tables for a small fee, Crask said.

Free meals or food samples may be available in the future, Crask said, adding that it is against Union policy to actually sell food items at the function.

The only other restriction on items sold is that none of the products can display the Eastern logo or name because of licensing restrictions, Crask said.