Inside the barn of Nickels-Sortwell House Saturday, Melissa Hunniwell told Natalie Dunbar and her grandmother Sherri Dunbar of Wiscasset, the 8-year-old was right: A fortune cookie starts as a circle.

"I'm impressed," the Alna woman said, smiling. Her sale items from her business Sheepscot River Retreat included the conversation starter, a pair of fortune cookies made of clay. "I was playing around and made a circle with clay one day, and I thought, 'What could I do with this circle?'"

The craft show was part of Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce's Holiday Marketfest. Asked why she wanted to take part, Hunniwell said: "Because I want to help Wiscasset grow up. It’s like the little sister of Damariscotta.”

Hanging from the arm of Waldoboro's Brenda Simmons was a wreath she said her sister, Wiscasset's Susan Hammond, picked out for her. "It's for my birthday" this month, Simmons said, smiling. The two stopped at the craft sale after lunch at Sarah's Cafe.

Year two of Marketfest Dec. 6-9 got brisk, sunny weather. And according to chamber board member Monique McRrae and those manning some of Saturday's activities, turnout was good. “A lot of out-of-towners,” McRae added. This year's Marketfest was very well-coordinated, she said.

Historic New England's Nickels-Sortwell House had a lot of first-time visitors, HNE's Jennifer Linskey said. She was giving tours of the first floor, decorated for the holidays. Docent Dan Stevens said it was wonderful getting to help set up because the house has a neutral palette, "so everything you put into it adds a lot of color."

Colorful wrapping paper and ribbons were part of children's shopping for others in a sale at Wiscasset Public Library. Volunteer Betsy Kyle said she didn't have to help the young shoppers decide over the ribbons. They knew what they wanted. And they wanted to fill in the tags themselves, she said. "Which is nice for them to get to do that," said fellow volunteer Jan Whitfield, in an elf hat with elfin ears.

It was that or a Christmas tree one she was not going to wear, Whitfield said with a smile. Apparently, when daughter Sarah Whitfield moved out, all the Santa hats moved with her, she added, still smiling.

Kyle and husband Leo Egan moved to Wiscasset seven months ago from Stow, Massachusetts. Helping with the sale downstairs in the library was part of her continuing effort to immerse herself in the community. She also volunteers helping children's librarian Laurie Ridgway with story time on Fridays.

Throughout the village Saturday, Alna's Linda Verney and her draft horses Bob and Bill were giving wagon rides. Verney topped her winterwear with a holiday cape and hat.