Last weekend, Tulsa craft lovers and holiday shoppers alike bundled up and made their way to An Affair of the Heart, a semiannual event that is known as “the largest arts, crafts, and boutique show in Oklahoma.”  

The event was, overall, more subdued than the Tulsa State Fair. Upon entering the SageNet Center building at the Expo Square, one noticed a quiet hum of interest percolating among the artists, sellers, and buyers.  

Other booths consisted of vendors selling things like clothing, resale antiques, handcrafted items, jewelry, art, books, and food items. 

Some vendors, particularly the crafters, made and sold products simultaneously. Stephanie Kirkland worked on knitting hats and headbands in between chatting with customers. This was her second time at Affair of the Heart, although she has been knitting for 20 years and attending craft shows for 10 years. 

Many vendors do not just come to this show, either. Doylce and Chris Herman have been to multiple craft shows in OKC and Tulsa this past year. The Hermans said their favorite part of coming to these shows is the “people that we meet, and the new ideas we get” from talking with others. They also said that repeat customers really help promote their products through word of mouth. 
 
This seems to reflect the general consensus among sellers that the interactions with customers are what keep them coming back.  
 

For a full list of vendors that were at the November show, you can find them here: Affair of the Heart Vendors. 

Affair of the Heart Website: https://www.aaoth.com/  

Upcoming shows in 2023 are the following:  

Feb. 10 – 12 – Oklahoma City Fairgrounds 

June 9 – 11 – Oklahoma City Fairgrounds 

July 14 – 16 – Expo Square (Tulsa)