On a warm fall Saturday, Sept. 13, Makers Market hosted its monthly Local Artist Street Fair along Santana Row, with various vendors hosting booths to sell an assortment of artistic products.
Goods for sale included jewelry, ceramics, woodwork, glass art, candles, crochet, pet treats/products, handbags and plants.
“At Makers Market, we bring unique, handmade products from local and U.S.-based small businesses to our stores, offering sustainable, one-of-a-kind finds you won’t see everywhere while supporting independent designers,” said Bailey Emmons, the marketing manager for Makers Market.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every second Saturday of the month, and gains lots of traction as curious shoppers look for homemade items they can bring home and enjoy. The fair allows vendors from across the Bay Area to showcase their creativity in handcrafted arts, each bringing their own unique product to their booths.
Vendors are able to apply through a form on the Makers Market website managed by the team events manager, where a “jury-in” process verifies that products are handmade before they are permitted to be sold at the event. After being admitted, vendors pay booth fees, and a team of organizers create a market map to ensure even distribution and visibility. All of the vendors interviewed by The Falcon noted that they found the event online.
“People appreciate handmade stuff. This organizer particularly focuses on handmade vendors only. They don’t allow any mass produced products,” a representative of Natural Crafts, a small business selling candles, soaps and sustainable merchandise, reiterated.
Many vendors across the event also advertise their online shops, encouraging customers to purchase more products at home after visiting their booths.
According to Emmons, the Makers Market at Santana Row — with around 65 vendors — is the longest-running and largest market in comparison to Makers Market’s other five locations across the nation.
The artist fair in Santana Row has been running ever since the Makers Market storefront shop opened about a decade ago. Participating vendors frequently book their spot up to a year in advance for the event, since the high volume of foot traffic attracts lots of competition for booths.
“Even on days we have lower foot traffic due to weather or other events, we’re always trying to make the most of every customer interaction and give them an amazing experience,” Emmons said.
The next Local Artist Street Fair at Santana Row will be held on Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. to 6.p.m. Future artist fairs will be held every second Saturday of each month.
