The Carbon Career & Technical Institute hosted its first fall festival craft and vendor event on Saturday inside the school, along with a car show.

“We’re very excited for it,” said Jacqui Cole, student counsel adviser and English teacher at CCTI. “It’s going to be a good day, and it’s nice to get the community in here, for them to see the building and highlight local vendors.”

The show had 31 vendors showcasing a variety of crafts, jewelry, baked goods, demonstrators, art work, and more. There was face painting, games and activities for the children, plus several food trucks.

Taryn Stewart, from Taryn’s Country Creations, was one of the local vendors, selling wall art and home decor made of re-purposed slate and wood.

“This is kind of like my art therapy,” she said. “I started doing this in 2019, just for friends and family. Then they encouraged me to do more with this, so now I’m hooked.”

Each of the vendors donated items for a basket auction, which featured more than 50 prizes.

“It’s perfect timing with the Fall Foliage Festival going on, and it’s so beautiful in Jim Thorpe right now,” Cole said. “We’re hoping that it’s a good event and we’re hoping that it gets even bigger and better next year.”

The car show in the back lot of the school featured 71 classic, sports, muscle, and exotic cars and trucks. The technical school’s students designed and built trophies and plaques for the show winners.

Best Overall Trophy Winners

1. Paul Kuntz, Beaver Meadows, 1949 Mercury Coupe

2. Stephen Berger, Palmerton, 1965 Chevrolet El-Camino

3. Joe Moyer, Tamaqua, 1955 Chevrolet Belair

Top Ten Plaque Winners

Paul Kuntz, Beaver Meadows, 1949 Mercury Coupe

Donna Gentile, Jim Thorpe, 1980 Plymouth Roadrunner/Volare

Tom Krell, Lehighton, 1972 Mustang Mach 1

David Wilson, McAdoo, 1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS

Richard Pretti, Sugarloaf, 2011 Shelby GT 350

Jacob DeHaven, Jim Thorpe, 2009 Dodge Ram 1500

Daniel Sickonic, Lehighton, 1991 Toyota Celica

Matthew Craigie, Jim Thorpe, 2015 Ram 1500

John Rogers, Frackville, 2006 Pontiac Solstice

Donald Rynd, Lehighton, 2006 Dodge Magnum RT