Pine Hill Primitives owner Kiersten Greever, right, hands a bag to Ify Ekott, of Washington, D.C., at Shepherdstown Street Fest on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherdstown Street Fest returned for its 18th year on Saturday, flooding German Street and King Street with live music, fresh food, craft beer and artisanal goods. And, of course, people who loved all of those things.

For local college student Zelia Wood, the one-day festival was a fun way to spend time with her father, who himself was volunteering at Street Fest.

“It’s really interesting. I’ve noticed people doing a lot of things with silverware and jewelry,” Wood said. “I, personally, like looking at pottery and woodworking. You can see the dedication and time that went into them. It’s so fascinating, how people can do so many incredible things with their hands.”

She was enjoying a break from the heat inside of Evolve, which was one of a few areas in the town that featured extra vendors, outside of those lining both sides of German Street. Vendors could be found in the parking lot across from the Community Garden Market and beside Shepherdstown Liquors. Inside of Evolve, five artisans — all longtime friends — could be found selling their work, including Shepherdstown-based jeweler and metalsmith Rose Mendez.

“All the years before this, I’ve been a vendor. This is my first time inside,” Mendez, who served as the festival’s vendor organizer up until this year, said. “I love the community aspect of it — Street Fest is Shepherdstown’s most fun day. So many different organizations come together to do it, which is fabulous.”

Baker Co. Leatherworks owner Zach Baker, of Moorefield, sews a leather bag together at Shepherdstown Street Fest on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

Harpers Ferry-based seamstress Melanie Brownsmith planned the vendor event in Evolve, after her and her mother’s business, Whimsly: Cotswold Downs Crafts, had run into a series of weather-related complications at outdoor events.

“It’s been a hot minute since we’ve sold at Street Fest. We wanted to do more indoor shows, because the weather has not been our friend over the past few years,” Melanie said. “I love the idea of doing Street Fest, but I don’t like the idea of dealing with storms and weather extremes.”

But outside, 82 artisans, chefs and craftsmen could be found braving the heat, eager to share their work with attendees.

“All of our products are indigenous. They’re from Quebec, Canada and Bismarck, North Dakota,” said Amy Christenson, who was running The Warrior Blends booth with her husband, Aleks Karawczyk. “This is pemmican –it’s a Native American version of jerky. It’s the original survival food. It’s ground, versus dried flat, so it’s much easier to eat.”

Up the street, Baker Co. Leatherworks owner Zach Baker could be found not only selling his work, but also sewing it.

Lady Hatchet performs on the Shepherdstown Street Fest Main Stage on Saturday night. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

“I purposefully bring products to work on at shows, because people are always surprised to see that our products are truly handmade. Most people assume we use a machine to do our stitching — they get so excited to see that is not the case,” Baker, who lives in Moorefield, said. “We try to use the very best quality that we can, because I’m a cheap person, but I don’t like cheap stuff. If we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right. So I try to get the very best leather — the tanneries we work with are three of the top five in the world. All of our hardware — our snaps, buttons and zippers — are also highly rated for durability. It’s a little more expensive, but it’s built to last. We tell people, ‘It will probably outlast you!'”

Local college student Zelia Wood browses the Whimsly: Cotswold Downs Crafts booth in Evolve on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston