Old Lewiston Peddlers Faire

Many Hundreds of People & Dogs Soak Up Great Weather, Small Town Atmosphere, at Old Lewiston Peddlers Faire

In 1990, the Lewiston Community Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit set up to revitalize the Trinity County historic town of Lewiston, California, assumed the sponsorship of the Old Lewiston Peddlers Faire, two years after it had begun in 1988.

Fast forward 38 years to the present day, specifically Saturday, June 6, 2026, when the Old Lewiston Peddlers Faire was held, and anyone who’s attended multiple times previously would tell you that this year’s iteration seemed to have significantly passed last year’s version, especially in terms of attendance and vendor participation.

For my lovely wife, Cheryl, and me, it was our first adventure to Lewiston, originally christened as Lewis Town when it was founded during the 1850s by Frank A. Lewis, a merchant of questionable integrity, according to Connor Nixon and Terry Hazler, both members of the Lewiston Community Foundation. And as we made the right-hand turn off of Highway 299W and quickly approached downtown Lewiston,  Cheryl and I squealed... almost in unison, “Wow!  Where did all these cars come from?”

We had to walk (really hike) several blocks to get to the Faire, but that was OK, because after we ogled and awed at all of the classic cars displayed by the Lewiston Moose Club, we got to walk across to the main part of the Faire on the Lewiston Bridge. It was rebuilt in 1901 after floods repeatedly destroyed it, following its original construction in 1851. And as a photographer for the SHASTA UNFILTERED eNewspaper, I couldn’t resist asking several people if they’d like their picture taken, with the picturesque Trinity River in the background.  By the way, they all said………… Yes!

Having previously attended several events of this type around the North State, Cheryl and I sort of surmised that the Old Lewiston Peddlers Faire might just be the largest, most attended one of all, at least judging by the number of vendors featuring arts and crafts, antiques, food (yummy!), beverages, live music, and, best of all………Lots of PEOPLE & DOGS!

“This group of Lewiston Community Association volunteers work very hard to make the Old Lewiston Peddlers Faire event happen for our community” remarked Katie Quinn, a columnist for the Trinity County Herald, “And it brings thousands of people into our little town and many stay to check out what Lewiston has to offer, plus they spend their money at our stores, lodgings, gas stations and more,” Quinn concluded.

According to information supplied by Connor Nixon, a member of the Lewiston Community Foundation, Lewiston was originally named Lewis Town after Frank B. Lewis, a merchant of questionable integrity.  And during the 1850s Gold Rush, Lewis Town became a major stagecoach route and hub of economic activity in Trinity County, as gold fever attracted thousands, causing an unprecedented boom.