Hundreds attend Dresden’s American Basket Festival

DRESDEN, Ohio – The history and heritage of Dresden, Ohio were celebrated with the annual American Basket Festival.

The rain didn’t seem to dampen attendance with over 375 people attending the event near the Dave Longaberger Memorial. Longaberger was born in Dresden and went on to form the Longaberger Company which made handcrafted maple wood baskets that became a major craze from the 1980’s to the early 2000’s.

“Dave Longaberger. He’s the one who started the basket making and it’s just developed from that. I mean, people love to collect baskets, different varieties of baskets, and they come to Dresden to either complete a set or to find something different,” said Darron Delancey, the president of the Dresden Community Association.

The event featured various local vendors, hands on basket making and repair workshops, and an auction for those who are still passionate about these unique baskets. According to Delancey, the event has brought in people from around the country.

“And this year alone, we’re seeing more and more out of state tags coming through. I’ll be walking through the parking lot and I’ll see 3 or 4 out of state tags,” Delancey said. “We’re seeing more and more people come to Dresden. Those who haven’t been here in 15 years are coming back again. Some been here for 30 years. It’s great to see the old consultants. That one’s the ones who sold the basket. Come back and and see them walk through Dresden again. It’s just very enjoyable.”

The auction had more than 120 items up for grabs, more than 50 vendors on site, and had basket signings with the Longaberger family. This was the third year for the show so keep an eye out for next years by following DestinationDresden.com.