If you go

What: The 12th annual Boulder Creek Hometown Fair

When: Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Monday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue on the Boulder Public Library lawn

Cost: Free admission

More info: bceproductions.com/hometown

Labor Day weekend unfolded in Boulder with dozens of white tents featuring arts and crafts and sheltering crates of bright organic food at the 12th annual Boulder Creek Hometown Fair.

On Saturday, while much of the University of Colorado population was in Denver at the football team's season opener, thousands of people who hung back got to interact with familiar and new vendors lined up along the creek.

Little Attitudes, an Arvada-based clothing store for toddlers and infants, attracted some laughs from parents. Owner Shana Coburn said it was her first time at the festival, but that she'd like to come again. Her shop features T-shirts and bibs with catchy slogans like "I (heart) boobies" and "I only cry when ugly people hold me."

"I was here last year as a spectator, I brought my little guy and we had a lot of fun," Coburn said.

Another vendor, Castle Rock-based Pottery Adventure, features hand-painted and imported pottery from Boleslawiec, Poland. The owner, Ginger Pokrant, held up wide plates and butter bells for attendees to see.

"We've got patterns here that are 500-plus years old," she said. "They all come from one region in Poland who've been making (pottery) since the seventh century."

As Pokrant explained the history of her collection of fine pottery, one of her more frequent customers came in. Anne Beach, of Boulder, said she calls Pokrant's pottery "enchantedware."

"Aren't the designs just lovely?" She

Graycen Malinzak, 3, from Denver, puts the finishing touches on her racing zucchini Saturday before putting it on the racetrack at the Boulder Creek Hometown Fair. The Great Zucchini Race was run by the Growe Foundation, which helps educate Boulder County students about the importance on nutrition and environment. (Stephanie Davis )
pointed to a salad bowl painted with blue flowers.

"Here was my first piece. When I first moved to Boulder and worked for a caterer, she said 'Feed the eye first.' Besides, I'm single, so I have to entertain myself while I'm eating."

And it would hardly be the Hometown Fair without the Boulder Creek Events' traditional zucchini race. This time, Bryce Winton Brown, founder of the young-focused environmental group Growe Foundation, helped run the race.

While glitter-ornamented zucchinis on wheels zipped down the racetrack, Ching Wu of Houston cheered on his young grandchildren -- and their zucchinis.

"I can't tell who won the race," he said with a smile.