The long lines and online deals from Black Friday have come and gone, but perhaps the best sales event of the holiday season in this area has begun in Washington County.

The Washington County Fairgrounds were packed early Friday morning for the All-Clad factory sale, which features more than 1,000 pieces of cookware, bakeware, kitchen tools and accessories made at the All-Clad factory in Canonsburg. The sale continues on Saturday morning, running from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. 

"When you make the best cookware in the world, it's not cheap," said Wendy Dyer, All-Clad's director of marketing. "A lot of care and no corners are cut in making this, so it is an investment because it's going to last you a lifetime. But we offer some really great discounts, so people can get some really high-quality product and some really amazing discounts."

Those discounts range from 50% to 70% off, and shoppers come from across the United States and even other countries to take advantage of the sale.

"Bill, one of our longest-standing employees, does a survey," said Dyer. "Once he had someone from South Korea."

Once shoppers arrive, they receive a number in specific groups. Once that group's number is called, shoppers are given carts and then taken into the main showroom area. From there, there are staff members to help find the right items, check out, and even box up merchandise and take it out to their vehicles on pallets. There's also UPS shipping to send holiday gifts to people living outside the area.

Regardless of what items they buy, the quality of the merchandise is the main reason some shoppers come back every year.

"I love the cooking pans, the good cookie sheets," said Jan Remington, of Somerset County. "You can never outdo a good cookie sheet; that's for sure. And the utensils that they have, they don't wear out."

But then there's another important detail for shoppers to consider: Should they just have a look around when they come in or have a mission in mind? The opinions varied on strategy.

"I came with a mission to get exactly what I needed," said Remington. "I just needed a new pan to replace mine so I can have roast beef and potatoes in the oven."

"I came in with a list and with a strategy," Chef Alekka Sweeney said. "My pro tip is to shop the outside of the sale first and then go into the middle because the outside were all the pots, pans and the copper core. Then the middle is the kitchen, measuring cups, measuring spoons and things like that."

As part of the company's community outreach, All-Clad has a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, raising funds to benefit the local chapter. For nearly two decades, All-Clad has helped to raise more than $270,000 through raffles and other fundraisers, like granting early access to VIP shoppers.

"An average wish costs $5,000," said Stephanie Pugliese, director of development for Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia. "They've granted close to 60 to 70 wishes for Make-a-Wish through this wonderful raffle that they hold."

The origin story of the relationship between the two entities strikes a very personal chord.

"A good friend of mine had a daughter with pediatric cancer," Dyer said. "Her work bestie granted her daughter's Make-A-Wish. That is where that relationship started, that seed planted all those years ago."