People’s Faire returns to Las Vegas after 3

Jul 29, 2023

Wendy Rule, singer-song writer, strums her guitar while singing an emotional rendition of one of her original pieces, with an attentive listener captivated in the background. The People’s Fair, Las Vegas, NM, August 26, 2023.

After a three-year hiatus, the People’s Faire returned to Carnegie Library Park on Saturday, bringing with it arts, crafts, music, food and fun.

Mena Davis, 7, of Las Vegas, has her face painted by Christine Arthuleta, owner of Fancy Faces Face Painting, during the People’s Faire at the Carnegie Library Park on Saturday.

Sponsored by the Las Vegas Arts Council, this is the 42nd annual People’s Faire. It was suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as last year’s Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.

MG Salazar picks up her giant chess pieces before an impending rainstorm at the People’s Fair on August 26, 2023, in Las Vegas, NM. It is the first time the fair has been held in three years.

“I was happy to see it come together,” said Carrie Williams, who helped manage the event. A recent transplant to Las Vegas as well as a visual artist, Williams said she became involved with the People’s Faire after she participated in a group show at the Arts Council.

Williams said that, when she realized the Arts Council needed more volunteers, she became more involved, eventually curating shows.

“This was one really big show,” Williams said of the People’s Faire on Saturday, as she glanced around Carnegie Library Park from her own booth where she sold her oil paintings. Williams said there were about 50 vendors at the event. There were also food trucks available, nonprofit organizations and live music provided by Mariachi Cardenal from Robertson High School, After the Fact and Wendy Rule.

“Each vendor has something that they made by hand,” Williams said.

Members of the Ulibarri family were present at the People’s Faire selling what they’ve been making by hand since 2002 – candy.

“We specialize in handmade brittles and fudge,” said Chris Ulibarri, who helps his parents, Michael and Donna Ulibarri, make and sell candy.

A true family effort, Chris Ulibarri noted that his father makes brittles – flavors for sale on Saturday included green chile, red chile, pecan and the traditional peanut brittle. Chris Ulibarri said his mother makes fudge. He noted the triple chocolate fudge is a best-seller, along with the piñon paletas, which are caramel-rolled piñon.

The family’s candy has made its way all over the world, said Chris Ulibarri. However, the idea to get started making sweet treats came as a whim, said Michael Ulibarri.

“We started doing craft fairs with flowers,” said Michael Ulibarri. “The flowers weren’t selling. .. On a whim, my wife says, ‘Let’s make some candy.’”

Their candy quickly became a hit, Michael Ulibarri said, and soon the family felt the need to obtain a license to make and sell it. Donna Ulibarri “dreams up” all of the candy recipes, son Chris said.

“She dreams up the recipes in the middle of the night,” Michael Ulibarri said with a grin. “Then, she makes them during the day.”

The Ulibarris have sold their candy at a Costco Wholesale in Albuquerque and at various fairs. Chris Ulibarri recalled attending a roadshow in Phoenix in 2008. Their candy sales took a blow when Chris Ulibarri’s grandfather, Eloy Montoya, suffered a decline in his health in 2010. That’s when the family decided to let go of their commercial license.

When the family tried to get their commercial license back some time later, they realized there were more requirements to obtain it, as well as an increased fee. The family then chose to stick with a home-based business license.

The family’s candy business also experienced a setback during the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. Based in Golondrinas, the Ulibarris and their business were forced to evacuate for five weeks during the worst of the fire. They lost a herd of 15 goats during the wildfire.

“It was very traumatic losing them,” Michael Ulibarri said. Chris Ulibarri, 23, said he’d raised most of the goats since he was 11.

The family has since rebuilt their business. Chris Ulibarri said that the return of the People’s Faire is a positive sign.

“It’s wonderful,” Chris Ulibarri said of the fair. “This is one of our favorite (events). … To see it up and running is a sign things are going to return to normal after the fires.”

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