BOOTHS FULL OF BOUNTY; HIGH-END HANDCRAFTS COMING TO VENTURA'S HARVEST FESTIVAL.

Byline: Kevin F. Sherry Daily News Staff Writer

More than 400 artists will sell their hand puppets, scented wooden fruit, holiday decorations and other handmade wares at the three-day Harvest Festival, which begins today at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

``Everything has to be handcrafted and of a high quality,'' said Del Hultgren of Westlake Village, who crafts storybook glove puppets to sell with their namesake books.

This is the 25th anniversary for the festival, and its eighth year stopping in Ventura County. This year the event will put on 15 shows in 13 California cities, and in Portland, Ore., and Phoenix.

The event provides an outlet for the artists and a way for the public to purchase unique gifts, said Susan Lahr, the festival's marketing manager.

``There are so many common items available in malls,'' she said. ``We wanted to give the public something special to buy.''

The abundance of one-of-a-kind items keeps both artists and buyers coming back for more, said Dale Tabrizi, a Moorpark milliner who also makes homemade children's and women's clothing and jewelry.

``I don't want to be a department store,'' Tabrizi said. ``I want to be unique.''

Tabrizi began making jewelry about 10 years ago when she couldn't find a job as a bookkeeper.

``My first pair of earrings I made out of paper towels,'' she said.

But the event is by no means a free-for-all.

``Harvest Festival is an upper-class show,'' Tabrizi said. ``It's not a swap meet.''

In fact, artists who want to sell their wares must apply to participate, submitting photographs of their crafts, their booths and their costumes, Lahr said. About 25 percent of the people who apply to the show are rejected.

Artists are required to decorate their booths and to wear some form of costume. Most dress in Early American attire, or something that goes with the theme of their craft, Lahr said. Others put on demonstrations to show how they make their crafts.

Part of the fun is the chance to renew old friendships with people who come to the show every year, said Ron Servant of Simi Valley.

``You meet several of the same people every year,'' Servant said. ``You only know them under the best circumstances.''

Servant and his wife, Bunnie, buy fruit-shaped pieces of birch wood, dye them, attach stems and add scented oils.

Adult festival goers can get $1 off their admission price if they bring nonperishable food that will be forwarded to Ventura County's FOOD Share program, Lahr said. The festival always teams up with local charities, she said.

``We like to give back to the communities that we're in,'' Lahr said.

This will be FOOD Share's sixth year with the festival, said Jeff Dronkers, FOOD Share's food solicitor. Past years have brought in 2,500 to 3,000 pounds of food per show, Dronkers said.

``Right now we're running really low on the cans,'' he said.

The festival helps the food bank along until the holiday rush again brings food to their shelves, Dronkers said.

THE FACTS:

WHAT: Harvest Festival.

WHEN: Noon to 7 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: The Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura.

COST: $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and $3.50 for children. Adults receive $1 off if they bring nonperishable food for FOOD Share.

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Photo: (Color) Bunnie and Ron Servant will be at the Ventura Harvest Festival selling wooden fruit, infused with scented oils, they make in Simi Valley.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News