Lu Jean Whitten on Wednesday hangs decorative netting on shelves that will contain raffle items at the Stuttgart Community Spouses Club Spring Bazaar, to be held Friday through Sunday at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. (Charlie Coon / S&S)
STUTTGART, Germany — There’ll be “Made in U.S.” pottery at the bazaar. Made in the U.S. sector of Germany, that is, post World War II.
Celine Boby will be there, too, with hand-painted furniture from France.
The annual Spring Bazaar by the Stuttgart Community Spouses Club, which last year drew more than 3,000 customers, strives to be a little different.
“We pick (vendors) who haven’t been to bazaars,” said Charlotte Jackson, co-chair of this year’s event, which will run Friday through Sunday at Patch Barracks.
Through Wednesday, 104 vendors had registered to sell their wares in Stuttgart, up 78 from last year. Items for sale will include ceramics, furniture, jewelry, rugs and other items from countries throughout Europe.
The bazaar aims to serve people who are too busy to drive around Europe looking for special products, and those who are too shy to do it.
“Some people won’t even leave Germany or even leave Patch Barracks when they are here,” Jackson said. “So we’re bringing the other countries to them.”
Customers spent more than $800,000 at last year’s event. From that, the spouses club raised $116,000 for community activities: gear and uniforms for school sports, field trips, contributions to military balls and other items.
In return, the recipients volunteer to help out with the next year’s bazaar. Last week, for example, Marines used their workday to set up tents for the event. Sports teams set up benches and tables.
About 650 people dedicate at least some of their time to the event, Jackson said, by unloading trucks, verifying credit card purchases, checking IDs, and providing hospitality of one kind or another.
Customers can pay using dollars, euros or major credit cards, including the military’s Star card.
Each vendor is expected to donate at least one item for a raffle, and a drawing will be held for a round-trip air ticket to the United States.
The bazaar is open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and will be held at the Patch Fitness Center, community club and former post exchange.
