The Rotary Club of Hurstville has drawn curtains on its annual antiques fair after 22 years.
The 22nd Annual Antiques and Collectables Fair was held over the weekend at the Hurstville Entertainment Centre, marking the end of the long-running event.
Convenor Dorothy Dixon, who has been involved with the fair for 22 years, said they made the announcement yesterday during the final day of the fair. She said it was sad to say goodbye to all the exhibitors.
“One of the highlights over the years was the great rapport I had with all the exhibitors,” Mrs Dixon said.
“It was like losing a family when I went and said goodbye to them all.”
Mrs Dixon said the club would try something different as a fund raiser next year, and the costs of running the event had gotten too high.
There were 21 stalls at the fair this year with the event running over three days from Friday to Sunday.
Mrs Dixon said sadly a $500 vase was stolen over the weekend, but surveillance cameras were in place and the incident was being investigated.
She said despite that incident it was a good final weekend.
“It went well. It was very good. But I think the heat probably kept a few people away,” she said.
The club has not yet added up how much it raised this year, but managed to raise over $10,000 last year.
Money raised this year is going to the St George Hospital children’s ward, to build gardens and a nice place to sit outside the ward.
Mrs Dixon said a fond memory, she can recall, was when a visitor found out their antique was worth $10,000 during the fair’s valuation service.
“It was a nice surprise for them,” she said.
