Extra FUN at the 2019 Indie Craft Parade

In addition to our lineup of amazing artists, we've added a few extras this year to celebrate our 10th birthday. Gather your friends and family and come celebrate handmade with us at Furman University. Below is our list of everything that will be happening!

All Weekend
· Relax in our new lounge area provided by the folks behind The NESS Fest
· A new baby changing area and Mother's Room outfitted by BabyQuip
· Free photobooth – it's basically tradition at this point
· Food trucks every day!

Friday, September 13, 6pm - 9pm
First Dibs Party – Remaining Tickets are only $25!
· Free cake (sponsored by Brains on Fire) and ice cream from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
· A special collaboration beer from 13 Stripes Brewery
· Giveaways! Twenty-five baskets of handmade goods (with an average value of $185) will be headed home with our ticket holders that evening.
· And, of course, you get first dibs on the handmade goods!

Saturday, September 14, 9am - 6pm
$6 admission at the door
· The Children's Museum of the Upstate will be on site with a fun kid’s craft
· Face Painting and henna artwork by Transformation Face & Body Art for adults and kids alike!
· Have your group portrait taken ($75) by Bryan Hiott Studio, a local tintype photographer.

Sunday, September 15, 11am - 5pm
$6 admission at the door
· More kid's crafting with The Children's Museum of the Upstate
· Face Painting and henna artwork by Transformation Face & Body Art for adults and kids alike

We’ll see you this weekend!

TEN YEARS – MORE SPACE

Indie Craft Parade turns 10 this year, and we have big news! We're moving the location of the festival to give everyone more room. 

Since the beginning of the festival our attendees have asked us "when will you move to a bigger space?" And for the past 2 years this has been an issue we've tried to solve. Last year we moved the festival to the Taylors Mill to offer artists more room to exhibit. However, the issue of long lines for our 7000+ attendees remained. 

To accommodate our desire to grow the festival and make it a more convenient experience for attendees and artists alike, we are moving the festival to Timmons Arena on the campus of Furman University. 

In this new home we will have room to not only offer large exhibitor booths, but also give attendees a more comfortable environment to shop, connect with artists, and linger at the event. When you come to the 2019 Indie Craft Parade, you can expect to see old, favorite attractions such as the free Photobooth. But now we also have space to include additional partner opportunities, a larger section for emerging artists, and most importantly, reduce the chance of a line. 

Illustrated Map by Karen Schipper

We're sure our attendees have questions: Will Indie Craft Parade keep moving to new venues? Will there be convenient parking at the new location? Will the event still have a great vibe even though it's leaving a beautiful historic venue?

To answer the first question, we truly believe Indie Craft Parade has found its permanent home. Our artists and attendees have been so faithful as we've moved over the last year, and we want you to confidently know what to expect year after year. 

What about amenities and convenience? Timmons Arena has plenty of both! Parking will be very easy and there are facilities in abundance.

As to the vibe of the event, the very heart of the festival is found in the community of amazing artists that Indie Craft Parade brings together each year, and they aren't going anywhere. They are the reason the festival is special; a charming venue is a bonus. That being said, the campus of Furman is stunning and conveniently located. It's merely 10 minutes from downtown Greenville and 5 from downtown Travelers Rest. The Swamp Rabbit Trail runs through the campus, and you could spend the rest of the day picnicking on the grounds after visiting the festival.

We're confident that year 10 will be our best one yet. 

Mark your calendar for September 13-15, 2019! Come see all that we've been working on, explore a new area of Greenville, and support the newest collection of makers and artists that make Indie Craft Parade so special. See you in September!

Holiday Fair Gift Guide: For the Home

We are so excited about all of the Christmas shopping we'll do this weekend at the Holiday Fair, and we hope you're putting your shopping list together after seeing our gift guides. Here's one featuring all of the great gifts you'll be able to find to create a more handmade home. Prints and originals by Emily Jeffords / Hand lettered posters by Paige Elizabeth Designs / Ceramic trivet by Crave Studio / Soy candle by Mercy Verity

Hand turned muddlers by Slab / Hand stamped flour sack towels by The Hiber Fiber / Felted terrariums by Once Again Sam / Pet teepees by LoveLane

Holiday Fair Gift Guide: Part 2

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We know as soon as the dinner plates are cleared tomorrow, you're going to start strategizing your holiday shopping. Have fun out there in the Black Friday madness (those of you who choose to participate). But remember, those truly memorable, meaningful gifts come from real people...people like our Holiday Fair artists. As you're planning your gift giving, consider these two new gift guides to help you find the perfect treasures for the people in your life.

 FOR HIM:

Skinny Straight Jeans by Billiam / Bowtie by The Cordial Churchman / Anchor Bracelet by Maritime Supply Co. / Tent and Trail Pullover by Dapper Ink

Shave Soap by The Herb Garden / Hand-thrown Mugs by April Schwingle / Sketchbooks by Shed Labs / Hand-turned razors by Slab.

 FOR HER:

Collar Necklace by Lily Pottery / Cameos by Once Again Sam / Feather Pendant by Crave / Hand-dyed Necklace by Spectrum

Embroidered Napkins by The High Fiber / Yarn Skeins by Merciful Hearts Farm / Hand-lettered Notecard by Paige Elizabeth Designs / Brick Feathers Clutch by Auspicious Miss

Holiday Fair Gift Guide: Part 1

If you're looking for unique and one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts this year, our Indie Craft Parade Holiday Fair can help! Featuring handmade goods from 29 artists, there's something for everyone. Starting with stocking stuffers and gifts for the little ones on your list, let us make a few suggestions to get you started!

Stocking stuffers clockwise from top left: handkerchief/scarf from Dapper Ink / Leather keychain from Billiam Jeans / Recipe cards from Ink Meets Paper / Sketchbook from Shed Labs / Ceramic cloud magnet from Crave Studio / Soaps from The Herb Garden

Gifts for the Little Ones clockwise from top left: Canvas crown from Lovelane Designs / Not-so-magic wands from Slab. / Boy's necktie from Cordial Churchman / Baby spoon from Block & Hammer / Baby booties from Pogoshop /

Thank you for an amazing festival!

In case you're still reliving the amazing festival weekend, we don't blame you. We just want to say a huge thank you to our 7,000 attendees, 80 artists, 42 volunteers, 20 sponsors, 10 staff volunteers, and 6 food vendors who make Indie Craft Parade possible. One of our favorite things about the festival is all the photos that came out of it. If you haven't seen it, check out the great #indiecraftparade hashtag stream here.

Here's a look at some of our favorites. We love you all! See you at our next event!

Image via SavannahMaieDae.

Image via Lindsey George.

Image via Going Home to Roost.

Image via Swamp Rabbit Cafe.

Image via Eleanor.XVI.

Image via Strawberry Moth.

Artist Showcase: Everything Else

In our artist showcase series, we feature a few makers from each category, who you’ll get to meet in just over 2 weeks. Can you believe the festival is almost here?! We guarantee this little sneak peek will have you counting down the days until Indie Craft Parade! The Et cetera category has a great variety of artists and goods that stand in a group all their own. From home decor and accessories to kitchen and garden goods, you'll want to remake your life around these products.

Don't forget, if you want to see everyone, old and new, who will be at this year's festival, check out their websites, found on our main site.

Hawks & Doves is a NC based maker who repurposes found materials in conjunction with both new and dead stock American made textiles and USA leather. We're dying over the feed sack pillows and especially those gorgeous aprons.

Blackjack Wax Company focuses on creating high quality, small batch soy candles. Each candle is personally hand-poured in batches of ten or less. We think you'll love their original scents like "front porch" and "film noir."

NATIVE BEAR products include hand printed paper goods and home decor featuring original designs and illustrations. Channel your inner bohemian and enjoy this collection.

The Zen Succulent is a mother/daughter team making contemporary glass vases filled with minimal color-blocked landscapes and live greenery. Each piece uses both live and preserved plants for a product that is one-of-a-kind.

Very Fine South makes a fantastic collection of bags and home decor. We think we can find a use for every one of her products.

artist showcase: paper goods

In our artist showcase series, we feature a few makers from each category, who you’ll get to meet in just a few weeks. We guarantee this little sneak peek will have you counting down the days until Indie Craft Parade!Today we’re highlighting a handful of artists from our Paper Goods category. Books, stationary, posters, accessories are just a few of the amazing things you'll find. All the sudden you'll want to send letters to everyone.

Strawberry Moth creates amazing illustrated products from cards, posters, pennants, and accessories. We can't wait to see this entire collection in person.

Linen Laid Felt combines traditional book-binding techniques with contemporary designs. We particularly love that the books can be used as photo books. Even your Instagram photos can have a place to go.

Tin Oiseau is a delightful collection of purposeful and customized stamps. You'll want something for every part of your life...library, cards, and tags. It will make sending gifts and mail that more special.

Paper Sparrow is an Indie Craft Parade veteran, but has developed a wonderful expanded line of posters, cards and stationary. My favorite is the abstracted representation of composers' work. These posters are great.

artist showcase: to wear

In our artist showcase series, we feature a few makers from each category, who you’ll get to meet in just a few weeks. We guarantee this little sneak peek will have you counting down the days until Indie Craft Parade! Today we're highlighting a handful of artists from our To Wear category. This is a broad lot including jewelry, menswear, kids clothes, and a lot of accessories. You'll be able to find something for everyone in your life from these artists.

Esse Quam Videri uses the Japanese dying technique of shibori to create these lovely one-of-a kind silk scarves.

Megan Cash has made a perfectly classic, yet fresh take on menswear. Keep the men in your life looking dapper with her creations.

Carolina Keiki has created an adorable line of kids' clothes from their studio / shop in North Carolina. Pretty sure you wish your clothes were this cute and comfy.

Timberline Jewelry is the creation of furniture designers turned jewelry makers. Building off strong geometric patterns and designs, this line is both classic and trendy.

Maritime Supply Co. reflects all of our needs to get to the ocean. Suited for both men and women, these pieces will make you want to head to the beach.

Artist Showcase: Fiber Art

In our artist showcase series, we feature a few makers from each category, who you’ll get to meet in just over a month. We guarantee this little sneak peek will have you counting down the days until Indie Craft Parade!

Today we’re highlighting some of the artists from our Fiber Art category. In this section you’ll find amazing handmade work created with felt, fabric, and yarn. Often the artists are even responsible for making their own patterns, prints, and even the materials themselves. And once again we had a difficult time choosing who to showcase, there are so many talented artists in this category!

Bonnie Christine is a woman of many talents. She runs the blog Going Home to Roost, makes her own fabric designs, illustrations, and patterns. And makes the most amazing products from them all.

Jennifer Lesley Design creates a variety of original home goods and decorations. From hand printed, painted, or dyed fiber and fabric, she makes a one of a kind collection.

Muncle Fred Art is a felt florist. Whether looking for a long lasting arrangement for your living room, a gift for a special occasion, or decorations for you next big event, you're sure to love these creations.

Hey Baby Craft Co. is doing an amazing job of preserving traditional quilting with her own modern twist. We can't wait to see these in person!

2014 VIP Tickets now on sale

It’s already that time of year again…VIP Gala tickets are on sale as of today! This kickoff party will begin our favorite weekend celebrating handmade goods.

If you’ve never been before, here are a few things you need to know that make the VIP Gala special:Lighter crowds: The opening night is your best chance to get to know the artists and get first dibs on their work. We sell a limited number of VIP tickets to make that evening special and allow ticket holders to avoid the crowds of Saturday and Sunday.

Giveaways: Our artists always go above and beyond in donating work to our giveaway baskets. We usually have 12-15 baskets worth over $100 each. Each basket will find their way home with a VIP ticket holder.

Free Food and Drink: Catered this year by Chef Peter and his team at Chef 360 Catering, the food is going to be out of this world. And in keeping with the theme of buying fine local craft products, we’ll be serving locally produced beverages including coffee from Greenville's newest coffee shop, Methodical Coffee, house blended teas and lemonade from Tealoha, and a selection of South Carolina made beers and ciders.

Live Music: And to top it all off, there's live music! This year we're excited to have local band Pioneer Fires playing for us during the VIP event. Their sound will be the perfect backdrop to the party. You won’t want to miss it!

The 2014 VIP Gala will be held on Friday, September 12 from 6 to 9 pm at the Huguenot Mill in downtown Greenville, SC. This ticketed event kicks off the festival weekend, and helps support our artists and the mission of Indie Craft Parade. Check out the full details on our website and get your tickets here!

Artist Showcase: 3D Fine Art

In our artist showcase series, we feature a few makers from each category, who you’ll get to meet at the festival about a month and a half. We guarantee this little sneak peek will have you counting down the days until Indie Craft Parade!

Today we’re highlighting some of the artists from our 3D Fine Art category. In this section you’ll find amazing handmade work created with wood, glass, metal, and ceramics. And once again we had a difficult time choosing who to showcase, there are so many talented artists in this category!

Bean and Bailey ceramics is a Chattanooga duo producing small-batch functional porcelain pots. They use colored porcelain slip to construct both subtly organic forms, as well as faceted vessels inspired by natural crystals and gems.

Churp Modern combines an interest in bird houses and modern architecture. Matt Estrada uses reclaimed wood to house the yard birds in style.

SLAB creates beautifully function home goods. From the local Greenville mills, they source top quality walnut, cherry, and maple wood and produce serving boards, utensils, and perfectly streamlined furniture.

Pixels and wood combines a love of hand lettering with reclaimed goods. From the workshop in Winston-Salem, they take pride in bringing new life to old things and repurposing them in unexpected ways.

Artist Showcase: 2D Fine Art

It’s time to start one of our favorite blog series. As we get closer to the 2014 festival, we’ll be featuring a few artists from each category. You'll get to meet them all at the festival in just a few short weeks. We guarantee this little sneak peek will have you counting down the days until Indie Craft Parade! 

Let’s start off the series with some makers from our 2D Fine Art category. There are so many talented artists; it’s hard to pick just a few!

Chris Koelleworks on a variety of illustrative, graphic, and design from here in Greenville, SC. You should check out his impressive list of published works. His series of botanical prints and originals will be a feature of his booth at Indie Craft Parade.

ElloLovey creates inspiring and whimsical prints as well as other handmade goods from her home studio. You'll find that her creations are partly inspired by her British heritage as well as the woodland scenery that surrounds Asheville, NC.

Joe Engel is a mixed media artist dividing his time working and living in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. Working out of a small studio in the countryside, Joe creates original handmade artwork with a combination of salvaged materials and original designs. 

2014 Artists Announced

We are excited to announce the 2014 list of Indie Craft Parade participants! Our fifth annual festival will feature 80 artists — 33 new and 47 returning. Mark your calendars for September 12-14 and come see us at the Huguenot Mill at the Peace Center. We know you can't wait to start shopping, so go check out the complete list on our website, and start making those wishlists!

2014 Call for Entries: Last Chance

This is it! Sunday, June 22 at midnight EST is your last chance to apply for this year's Indie Craft Parade. We do not consider late or incomplete applications, so if you've started an application but haven't finished yet, this weekend is your last opportunity to finish and submit!

For those who aren't applying, but know an artist who should submit their work, we've made it easy for you to send out an email introduction to Indie Craft Parade. Help us find the best handmade goods in the South!

2014 jury: how it works and who's behind it

We're so pleased to announce this year's jury who will be responsible for choosing the 2014 exhibitors for Indie Craft Parade. These people have shaped their artists' communities both at home and abroad, and we know they're going to help us put on a magnificent show. Before presenting the jury, here’s a little insight into the process of how they will choose the participants in our show.

When all of the applications are collected, jury members review them by viewing the submitted photos as well as a brief description of the artist's work. This information is presented anonymously to the jury to level the playing field as much as possible. Each category is juried separately, so although applicants may apply in multiple categories (example: a ceramic artist that also makes screen printed tea towels). Artist's work may be accepted in some categories and declined in others. After reviewing the application, each jury member casts a vote for or against, and the application is accepted, declined, or put on a waiting list.

In previous years, our jury has met together as a group here in Greenville and curated the show in a single (very long) day. To better accommodate these generous folks and allow for a wider variety of jury members, we are moving our entire jurying process online. Our jury will now be able to review applications and cast their votes electronically. This allows us to select future jury members from a much broader area and ensures that Indie Craft Parade will continue to be fresh every year.

So without further ado, here's our jury:

Barb Blair: Owner of Knack Studios

Jon Andrews: Assemblage sculptor and professor

Katie Coston: Native Greenvillian now running a ceramics studio and shop in Oxford, England

Jude Landry: Professor and graphic designer, we love his Makers Gonna Make design

And new to the jury...The Indie Craft Parade team.

To make sure our vision for Indie Craft Parade never wavers, we've decided to claim a single jury vote for ourselves. Until this year, our main role in curating the festival has been to select the jury and facilitate the jurying day. Five years later, we'd like to weigh in. Of course, our collective vote will not count any more than other jury members. (Sorry to disappoint all of you who applicants who were ready to send bribes.) We still want the choosing of exhibitors to be guided by a panel of artists who we trust. But we do want to make sure our voice is represented as well.

So that's how it works. We're so thankful to the jury who takes the time to do a difficult job. All of our amazing applicants don't make their job easy!

Applications Now Open!

The long wait is over! Applications for Indie Craft Parade are now open. Put together your best product photos and send them our way through our online application. We can't wait to see who all comes in this year!

If you're not a maker but you know someone who is (and who you think should be a part of our festival), tell them to apply. We've made it easier than ever to recommend applying to Indie Craft Parade. Check out this automatic message here, and send it to your crafty friends.

Thanks to all our friends and supporters who attend each festival. We'll see you in 103 days!

Indie Craft Parade + The Children's Museum

 Next Saturday we're going to have a station at the Kids' Maker Fest--a special event with The Children's Museum of the Upstate. The whole day is dedicated to teaching kids about the value of making and the different avenues that people use to incorporate making into their lives.

From The Children's Museum:A maker is a do-it-yourself kind of person, who engages their creativity and knowledge doing hands-on projects. Some makers are science and technology oriented while others are more crafty. All makers share a passion for creating, and believe that if something can be imagined it can be made!

Highlights from the day include:

• --Make and launch your own paper rockets
• --A hovercraft demonstration & make a mini hovercraft
• --Coder demonstrations on SCRATCH and STARLOGO
• --Use your imagination and build with MAKEDO cardboard projects
• --Playdough circuit activities
• --Make a bristlebot
• --Play with large robots
• --Designing stamps with the Indie Craft Parade
• --Trebuchet launch

If you've never taken the kids in your life to The Children's Museum, this is the perfect opportunity. Not only will you get to see their amazing regular exhibits, but also kids have access to all the stations available with The Maker Fest. Participation in The Maker Fest is free with general admission.

We hope to see you there! It's going to be a great day.

Holiday Fair Recap

Thanks so much to everyone that came out to the Holiday Fair! We had such a great Saturday. Although it was a bit chilly, we were so excited to see the neighborhood full with Greenville's art enthusiasts. To recap the numbers, this past Saturday the festival was made possible by 30 artists, 10 volunteers, 5 food vendors, 1 great neighborhood, and over 1,600 attendees!

If you were unable to make it to the Holiday Fair, you did miss out. However, be of good cheer. Indie Craft Parade will be hosting events all throughout the year. Make sure you check out our Calendar of Events to see what we've got planned next!

Thanks again for supporting Indie Craft Parade and our artists! We're so thankful for everyone who buys handmade.

If you'd like to see more photos from the event, check out our Instagram feed. You can also search the hashtag #indiecraftparade to see shots from attendees.

Holiday Fair: Gift Guides

The Holiday Fair is the perfect place to take care of all your Christmas shopping. You’ll find something for everyone on your list, a one-of-a-kind gift that’s sure to steal the show. Here's a little sneak peek at the handcrafted goods you'll see this Saturday.

ChristmasSpecialties

Stocking Stuffers

Homegoods

Food & Entertaining

Artwork

Gentlemen

Lovely Ladies

Jewelry

Children

NatureInspired

And of course, don't forget to get yourself something special too from the Holiday Fair!