Submitted by event organizers.

The San Juan Island Repair Fair will return this fall, offering free repairs of household items. The event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 21, at the San Juan Island Grange Hall, sponsored by the San Juan Island Grange.

At the Repair Fair, community members can bring in broken household items — anything that can be carried in — and receive help from skilled volunteers. Common items include lamps, small appliances, bicycles, torn clothing, jewelry and small furniture. Attendees stay with their items during the repair process, creating opportunities for learning and conversation.

New this fall, the event will feature a DIY garden tool sharpening station, where visitors can clean and sharpen hand tools with guidance from a volunteer. All supplies and tools will be provided for this seasonal maintenance activity.

At the last Repair Fair, we added jewelry repair. Cady Davies brought her tools and supplies to help replace clasps, restring beads and fix earrings. The Repair Fairs offer a practical, community-based alternative to the throwaway culture, helping to extend the life of useful goods and keeping them out of the landfill. The events also celebrate self-reliance, inspiring participants to explore reuse, repair, recycling and repurposing in everyday life.

Nine volunteers supported the most recent event, offering expertise in textiles, jewelry, bicycles and more. The San Juan Island Fellowshop and Alchemy Art Center continue to be key partners, and member of the Textile and Quilting Guilds regularly contribute their mending and patching skills.

The Repair Fair will now be held seasonally — each fall, winter, and spring — at the Grange Hall. This season’s Repair Fairs will be held on Sept. 21, Feb. 1 and April 26. New volunteers with repair skills or an interest in community service are encouraged to join the effort.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Kat Rose at 425-753-5735.

Contributed photo Rob Rock shows off a lamp that was rewired at the Repair Fair.