LIBERTY — About 150 local craft vendors filled the Metroplex to capacity Saturday with wares ranging from bowties for pets to decorative eggs, lamps made from piping, marionettes, gnomes and a host of Christmas decorations for the complex’s Holiday Craft Show.

Debbie Pringle of Austintown and her adult daughters, Kelsey and Mackenzie Pringle, attended the show as a “girls’ day out” and in search of unique treasures. Regular attendees of craft shows, they said the Metroplex Holiday Craft Show offers more unusual items than others.

“We go to the Austintown, Canfield and Ursuline preschool shows. They tend to get the same people. There’s a little bit of a variety (here) this year,” said Debbie Pringle. She pointed to a spoon she bought as a decorative piece for a planter as an example of unusual wares.

“There seems to be more unique vendors,” added Kelsey Pringle.

She said in addition to holiday shopping, she bought several things for her dog — and animal vendors were well represented at the show.

Debbie Pringle said she and her daughters have only been attending craft shows together for the past few years, but before that she always looked for at least one unique Christmas ornament each year to capture something happening in each of her kids’ lives — something she often found at craft shows.

“You get a lot more unique and individual stuff instead of just Hallmark,” Debbie Pringle said.

The Metroplex show, in its second year, has grown from approximately 130 vendors to now spilling into an expansion of the building that was done this past winter, event manager Brianna Simeone said.

“I can’t fit one more vendor — I tried,” said Simeone. “You can find anything you’re looking for here … we don’t duplicate vendors.”

Last year, the show drew about 2,000 attendees, and Simeone said she expects that number to be higher this year.

The show continues 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, with crafts for kids, demonstrations from the Youngstown Area Weaver’s Guild and a petting zoo. Entrance is $4 general admission and free for children 15 and younger.

The Holiday Craft Show is the only show put on by the Metroplex itself, Simeone said.

“We wanted to put on our own event. People, businesses and trade centers rent our facility and put on events. We thought, we need to get in on that,” she said.

She said a craft show was the obvious choice, as anyone can enjoy it “no matter what you’re into.”

At the beginning of November, the show is also meant to serve as a kickoff to the holiday season.

Marylyn Sees of Girard said she came to the show trying to get a jump start on holiday shopping.

“I’m trying to get little gifts for banquets I’m going to,” Sees said. “Since I’m retired, I get to do it early.”

avugrincic@tribtoday.com