10 a.m. - Every Breaking Wave
11 a.m. - Plaid Day
Noon - Wazobia
1 p.m. - Flushed/ The Embers
2 p.m. - Brother Adams
3 p.m. - Eastown Jazz Ensemble
4 p.m. - Otis Blueswell Jr.
/Courtesy of the Eastown Community Association
Over 80 local artists and makers will gather along Wealthy Street this Saturday for a free event that celebrates creativity. Eastown’s Bizarre Bazaar will return with its annual street fair this June 27 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Eastown’s Bizarre Bazaar features local artists, craftspeople, potters, sculptors and jewelry designers in the heart of Eastown between Atlas Avenue and Lake Drive. There will also be live music, live art and food vendors in the Hub Lot. The event, hosted by the Eastown Community Association and the Eastown Business Association, is advertised as “handmade items only, commercial items are prohibited,” encouraging community members to buy and support local, handmade items.
The art that is accepted into the event is juried by a volunteer committee.
The community association’s executive director Lindsey Ruffin says selection of artist vendors is based upon making sure items are quality and homemade and that there isn’t too much of the same thing from vendor to vendor.
“This year and last year we’ve had a better variety,” Ruffin says. “There’s everything from clothing to ceramics and there’s just a lot more variety this year.”
Ruffin says while normally the street festival doesn’t have many outside food vendors, visitors can expect to see a vendor for local favorite, Sandmann’s Kitchen.
Visitors of all ages will be able to participate in a live art event, Sidewalk Chalk Battle, in the Hub lot.
“We’re really going to let the kids go crazy,” Ruffin says. “I think it’ll be fun to have live art in a way that involves kids and artists.”
A list of vendors as well as a map of the street fair is available on the Bizarre Bazaar web page.
Jaye Van Lenten, a long time board member of the Eastown Business Association and owner of Spirit Dreams, says Bizarre Bazaar is a fun local event that an opportunity for local artists to showcase their work as well as markets businesses and encourages collaboration among residents, businesses and artists.
“We do everything that needs to be done to organize the event and encourage participation,” Van Lenten says.
The Eastown Business Association works closely with the Eastown Community Association to make this event happen.
“The event brings fun and opportunity,” Van Lenten says. “It emphasizes the essence of community.”
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