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12 LIVE IT UP! FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL F or antique lovers in Santa Cruz County, there are many places to shop. Even if you're not a hardcore antique shopper, it can be fun to browse. One major regular event is e Downtown Santa Cruz Antique Street Faire. It has free admission, and is held on the second Sunday of every month unless it rains, in which case it gets post- poned to the third Sunday. Hours are approximately 8am-5pm; some vendors may not be ready right at 8 a.m. but all are definitely selling goods by 9. Each month, between 40 and 50 vendors set up tables along Lincoln Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street, and in the parking lot behind Toadal Fitness. e Faire has a long history. "In 1993, it started as a way to get people back downtown aer the earthquake," says promoter Bonnie Belcher. It was first on Pacific for six months. It moved to Lincoln Street aer that for six or seven years; then it was on hiatus for several years off and on, appearing peri- odically on Cedar. "It's been back at its current location since July 2003, and we're grateful to the City Council for all of its support," Belcher says. Belcher was first a vendor at the antique faire, but now she runs the show including doing promotion and renting space from the city. As a Santa Cruz native, she truly enjoys putting on the event and is proud of its success. She emphasizes that it's family-friendly, and very sociable. Some people meet their friends there each month. For others, it's the main time that they visit downtown. "It is one of the few monthly ongoing antique fairs in the state," Belcher says, "and some regular attendees travel from out of town just to shop here." e majority of vendors are perma- nent, and many have been participat- ing for as many as 10 years. Longtime vendors include the folks from Mr. Goodie's. ere are also new vendors each month. antiquing in santa cRuZ county B y t a r a F a t e m i W a l k e r p h o t o B y t a r a F a t e m i W a l k e r C o n t i n u e s o n p a g e 1 3