In 2006 when I first interviewed the enterprising young couple behind Craftstravaganza, the Twin Cities’ indie crafter scene was just beginning to hit the mainstream and give the old guard in the business of artisanal wares a run for their money on the craft show circuit. In the intervening years, Andy and Jenna Krueger have had a couple of kids and moved to a one-acre spot of land just outside the city. They’ve also watched their “rogue art & craft sale” held on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds every spring come into its own.

Craftstravaganza may have had upstart beginnings, but the show found a ready customer base and grew quickly (much like a similar seasonal fair which began at the same time in Minneapolis, No Coast Craft-O-Rama). After a few years, attendance numbers settled at about 3000, and turnout has since remained steady. Andy Krueger says that’s fine by him.

“We never wanted to be the biggest show; we want to be a high-quality show. And while the number of people coming each year is maintaining at this point, we’re getting more of the right kind of visitors now – people who have money in their pockets, who are familiar with what we’re offering and come ready to buy the things they see, often looking for specific artists and vendors they noticed at a previous year’s show.”

The interest from those local artists has grown significantly, too. This year, in addition to its usual spot in the fairgrounds’ Fine Arts Building, the show will also spill over into the neighboring Progress Center to accommodate the more than 140 artists the Kruegers selected to participate. What you’ll see at the festival runs the gamut from limited-edition gig posters, artisanal soap and ironic paper goods to adorable handmade items for children and pets, not to mention an assortment of wood, leather, metal, ceramics, fiber, glass and jewelry art.

One thing that distinguishes this craft show from others like it is the concerted effort to include handcrafted goods made by and for men. Krueger says, “I know women are the ones driving the decision to come to the show most of the time, but I want to make sure the men with them find plenty of things to interest them while they’re here.”

There will be workshops and demonstrations throughout the day as well, but rather than trying to draw crowds with face painting or live music (both of which the couple has tried over the years), the auxiliary offerings are focused on makers themselves. He says, “We love doing how-to workshops, but we want to offer something more, too, something geared toward helping people take the next step toward making things professionally.” This year’s line-up of sessions features spinning and weaving demonstrations by the Minnesota Weavers Guild, collaborative yarn bombing throughout the day and a couple of different workshops on making novelty jewelry; of particular note is the industry-specific “How to Sell to a Shop” discussion, led by the proprietors of the popular gift store i like you.

“I think the biggest factor in the success of our show is that Craftstravaganza has grown concurrently with the larger craft movement, with the interest in DIY, the growth of online selling, and an increasing mainstream interest in making things – that’s definitely fueled our growth.” Krueger notes that many of Craftstravaganza’s participating artists have stepped up their game and taken the opportunity offered by shows like theirs to develop new product lines, successfully building audiences for their work well beyond their reach as vendors in the craft show scene. These savvy crafters have also become savvy marketers, hitting interested buyers directly through web-based marketplaces like Etsy or a slick personal website.

That’s as it should be, he says: “You can’t just bring the same old stuff year after year and expect anyone to stay interested in your work. Craftstravaganza has built a strong customer base, a strong audience; lots of people have made it a Mother’s Day tradition, and they come every year. You want to offer those visitors something fresh. Give them a reason to stop at your booth and give your work a look. You’ve got to count on competition, you’ve got to work at your craft and get better at what you do.”

Krueger offers some of his favorites in this year’s show: catnip “cassettes” , upcycled jewelry made from industrial inner tubes, hand-drawn earrings, whimsical monster friends, pleated leather bags, impossibly tiny scented food jewelry and clever bottle openers.

Craftstravaganza is a one-day indie craft show, Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building and Progress Center on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave, St. Paul. Admission is free and open to the public. For a full list of artists and workshops and detailed information: www.craftstravaganza.com/2012/.