An Annual Creature Feature

Never underestimate animal magnetism. That elemental drawing power, coupled with the equally urgent biological imperative to cross names off the holiday gift list, has turned the Beastie Bazaar at scenic Ayrshire Farm in Upperville into a tradition. Last year, the bazaar lured 5,000 people to Virginia horse country. This year, weather willing, the organizers expect a similar crowd for the arts and crafts show Friday through Sunday.

The bazaar, now in its 10th year, benefits the Virginia Spay Today fund. Fifty vendors will hawk such varied items as dog biscuits and oil paintings, with prices for the bounty starting at a buck and escalating to about $2,000. A bake sale, raffle and silent auction are intended to raise more money for the cause.

Exhibits and booths will be set up in Ayrshire's manor house and in a large tent. The ballroom in the 1912 fieldstone house, which is owned by Sandy Lerner, will hold the art exhibits and fine jewelry displays, and in the conservatory, baked goods will be sold, some prepared in the farm's spacious kitchen, where baked items for Lerner's Upperville restaurant, Hunter's Head Tavern, also originate. Lerner herself, a businesswoman who made a fortune in computers, will have her own booth, Miss Kitty's Boutique, and may be on hand in feline finery.

Once visitors have grazed through the booths, they can wander the grounds. Ayrshire is a showcase for Lerner's dedication to sustainable farming, which seeks to combine profitability with environmental stewardship. On her 800-acre working estate, Lerner champions rare and ancient livestock breeds, including Gloucester Old Spots pigs, a laid-back breed that must have at least one distinctive spot, and Scottish Highland and ancient White Park cattle. (During the bazaar, the farm will take Thanksgiving orders for its free-range organic turkeys.)

The working dairy will be open, as will Ayrshire's stables, which in addition to horses, house antique carriages and an array of gleaming harnesses.

The Beastie Bazaar, with its focus on fauna, is especially family friendly (although Fido must stay home). In addition to a petting zoo, search-and-rescue demonstrations and animal adoptions, the Wildlife Center of Virginia will offer free workshops geared toward children on what to do when they find an injured animal. And representatives from Beagle Ridge Herb Farm will discuss composting and soil conservation, among other environmental topics.

Tractor-drawn wagons will take visitors from the parking area to the manor house. And Lerner's towering Shire horses, the tallest of all equines, measuring as high as six feet at the shoulder, will supply the horsepower for free and frequent hayrides.

For those in need of creature comforts, Chrysalis Vineyards of Middleburg will sell its wines, and the Lovettsville Lions Club will supply vittles. The Lions' barbecued mushroom sandwich has been a roaring success in past years, says Diane Griffith, who does the publicity for the event. And rest assured, the food stand is the only place at the bazaar where biting i s allowed.

BEASTIE BAZAAR Friday-Sunday 10 to 5. Ayrshire Farm, 21846 Trappe Rd., Upperville, Va. Although money will not be spurned, admission is goods that can be distributed to local animal welfare groups -- pet food, collars, bowls, cages, etc. For a complete list of suggested items for donation, visithttp://www.beastiebazaar.org. 877-213-8776 or e-mailinfo@beastiebazaar.org.