Aiken, S.C. (WJBF)- A beloved annual event is returning to downtown Aiken this weekend. Starting Friday morning, Aiken’s Makin’ returns for its 47th year.

The festival brings in tens of thousands of people from all over the country. People flock to Aiken this time every year to check out the more than 200 vendors and their creations.

The vendors come from all over the U.S. too.

This year there are 91 new vendors as well as returning favorites. Organizers opened 45 new spots for this juried art show, meaning that vendors have to apply and be chosen by a jury, so there are more vendors than ever before.

People can expect everything from art and sculpture, to toys, wood working, and hand woven sea grass baskets.

Aiken Chamber of Commerce CEO, David Jameson, said it’s an event people look forward to all year long.

“Aiken’s Makin’ seems to come across as a cross between a tent revival and a family reunion. Because a lot of people that live in Aiken don’t see each other except at Aiken’s Makin’ when they’re on the street. They have family members with them, children with them that have grown up here and come back for Aiken’s Makin’. So it’s a real family affair,” explained Jameson.

Chad Adams is a vendor for the second year with That’s Sew Lizzie. His wife Liz is a resin artist. He said it’s exciting to be a vendor at an event he grew up attending.

“We love this community. We live in Windsor. We’ve been in and around Aiken our entire lives. We like going to the different craft shows, especially going out close to the beach. We’ve been to Lexington, we’ve been to Savannah, we’ve been to…just recently we went up towards Clemson,” said Adams. “But this is our home and this is where we like to be. Where we feel truly blessed to be able to come back to Aiken to sell our stuff and to really present our things to the community. Because we like our things being used.”

If you want to go and check it out, Aiken’s Makin’ is located on Park Avenue between Union and Chesterfield Streets.

It is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m Friday, September 8 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 9- rain or shine.

Photojournalist: Will Baker.