Click photo to enlargeThere’s always so much happening the first full weekend in December that it’s getting harder each year to decide where to go and what to do. At the top of my list are two craft/artisan fairs I try to get to each holiday season: The city of Eureka’s one-day Holiday Craft Bazaar at the Adorni Center on Saturday, and the three-day Humboldt Artisans Crafts Music Festival at Redwood Acres, Friday through Sunday.

And if I get the pre-weekend urge to shop — or just browse — when I get home tonight, there’s a craft fair going on from 4 to 8 p.m. in the old Blockbuster building at the McKinleyville Shopping Center, as part of the center and Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Celebration.

On top of all that, this year I’m adding a must-visit destination: SCRAP Humboldt’s Holiday Craft Bonanza on Saturday and Sunday.

Craft fairs offer the embodiment of the overused expression “something for everyone,” and local fairs don’t disappoint. Whether I’m looking to support local artists and craftspersons, find an item that nobody else on Earth might have, or shop according to my values by patronizing artists who creatively reuse materials, I’ll most likely get all my holiday shopping done this weekend.

And, there’s nothing like the sights, sounds and smells of these fairs to totally engage the senses and make it finally feel like winter is almost upon us.

Here are a few ideas on where to go and what you’ll see (there’s more on Page B2):

* First up is the McKinleyville Christmas Celebration, tonight at the shopping center at Central Avenue and City Center Roads. All free, it includes the craft fair from

4 to 8 p.m., music by the Redwood Coast Children’s Chorus Alumni Singers from 5 to 5:30 p.m., and a citywide open house from 5 to 7 p.m., with free Christmas treats, shops open late with special sales, activities and free crafts for the kids and a coloring contest. Carriage rides will be happening in the parking lot, the Friends of the McKinleyville Library will hold a special book sale of gift-quality books at the shop by the totem pole, and Blake’s Books will host a book signing by three local authors: John Daniels, author of “Hooperman,” a bookstore mystery; Muriel Wills, author of “Like a House on Fire,” a Sam Turner Real Estate mystery; and Janine Volkmar, author of “France with My Father,” a travel memoir and exploration.

Santa arrives in McKinleyville tonight at 5:30 p.m. on a fire truck to light the giant Christmas tree, and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. kids can visit with Santa in the old Plaza Design building — don’t forget your camera.

* Next up is the 33rd annual Humboldt Artisans Crafts Music Festival at Redwood Acres in Eureka. Filling all four of the main buildings at the fairgrounds, it features more than 130 booths of handmade gifts by North Coast artists and artisans. (See the “IF YOU GO” box for hours.)

Five stages provide venues for live holiday and dance entertainment showcasing local musicians throughout the festival — more than 100 hours of live entertainment, including the Compost Mountain Boys, Art Brown, International Folkdance Club, The Soulful Sidekicks, Mike La Bolle, Marla Joy and the McKinleyville Community Choir. Local food businesses offering goodies include Ramone’s Bakery Café, Los Bagels, Wandering Weenie Wagon and more.

Admission to the festival is $3 for the entire weekend, or free with a donation of a gift for a child or senior at the front gate to the Humboldt Bay Firefighters for “Share the Magic of Christmas” Toy Drive and “Santa for Seniors.” Admission is also free for children, seniors and for everyone after 5 p.m. each night.

* On Saturday, a slightly smaller but no less unique venue is the annual Holiday Crafts Bazaar hosted by the city of Eureka at the Adorni Recreation Center, 1011 Waterfront Drive at the foot of L Street in Eureka. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free.

The bazaar offers 48 vendor booths with a wide variety of handmade items by local artisans, including bath and beauty products, woodwork, jewelry, hand-knit items and much more. Santa Claus will be spreading holiday cheer and there will be a snack bar and free raffle.

* From 11 a.m to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, SCRAP Humboldt will showcase artists who creatively reuse materials in their wares, at the Holiday Craft Bonanza at two locations: SCRAP Humboldt’s headquarters at the corner of South G and H streets in Arcata, and right next door at the adjacent Commons House at the Marsh Commons. Some of those repurposed materials will include wood, wool sweaters, vintage maps, found objects, metals and more.

Many of the artists are featured in the year-round SCRAP Re:Boutique and will be highlighting more of their repurposed and unique items. Playing with Paper, Almond Blossom Arts and Crafts, Dinomite, Ruin and Redemption and Demant Designs are just a few of the talented local artists who will be setting up shop.

But wait, there’s more: Music, treats, a craft project for the kids and volunteers on hand to wrap your gifts with donated maps, wrapping paper and fabric.

And, if you’re making all of your own holiday gifts or decorations this season, SCRAP not only has inspiration galore, but also affordable materials available to ensure a holiday season that is both heartfelt and creative.

In addition, throughout December, you can purchase a SCRAP membership and receive an additional SCRAP membership for free — a nice gift in itself, as both of you will receive an extra discount on materials every time you shop at the boutique.

SCRAP Humboldt is Humboldt County’s first creative reuse center and a project of SCRAP (School Community Reuse Action Project), a nonprofit based in Portland, Ore., with four locations (so far) nationwide.

* And that’s not the end of the holiday fairs and festivals, either; other events taking place today and this weekend are listed in the North Coast Happenings column at left, and next week’s events will be listed in Sunday’s column.