COVID-19 Safety Protocols: Indie Craft Parade Shop Edition

We can’t wait to see you at Indie Craft Parade: The Shop Edition. Thank you for prioritizing purchases from makers and small businesses.

Here are the precautions we have put in place for this event, based on current CDC and Government guidelines, and what we feel best protects our staff and our shoppers.

Thank you for understanding, for shopping with us, and for helping us support independent artists and makers. 

Please read through our list of policies so you know what to expect when you shop with us.

Our staff will be wearing masks as well as implementing regular sanitizing procedures to ensure the space remains safe for everyone.

Shop Occupancy  Due to our square footage, we will be limiting shoppers in the store to allow for appropriate distance. If we are at max occupancy, you may need to wait outside until space opens up.

Hand Sanitizer  Complimentary hand sanitizer will be provided when you walk in the door. We ask that all customers utilize the sanitizer upon entering.

Masks  We will be requiring customers (including children over the age of 2) to wear masks in the store. If you have a mask, please bring it. If you do not have your own mask, we will provide a disposable mask for you.

Payment  To eliminate points of contact, the Pop Up Shop will be accepting card payments only. If you have the option, we encourage iPhone users to set up Apple Pay for a completely touchless transaction.

Children If shopping with young children, we ask that you keep them close to you or in a carrier or stroller. Children over the age of 2 will be required to wear a mask.

Other Helps If you normally communicate via lip reading and want to shop in store, a sanitized whiteboard will be available to help facilitate communication while wearing a mask.  

We understand that each person has different viewpoints about what kinds of safety measures are necessary. Our goal is to prioritize the safety of our community as a whole as we keep each other safe.

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!

2014 year in review

We can hardly believe it -- 2015 is almost here. Soon we'll toast in the new year and make big plans for the future. But this end of season time gives us a chance to reflect on all that's been accomplished in the past year. We've met incredible people, seen growth in the makers community, and seen remarkable expansion within our own organization. We're eternally grateful to the friends, family, and community who provide constant support for and encouragement to for Indie Craft Parade, and we're continually reminded how blessed we are to have you all in our lives. We hope you enjoy reliving some of the highlights of this past year.

March 2014 -- The Makers Summit and The Best Craft Party Ever

April 2014 -- Artist Day through the Indie Craft Parade School Scholarship program

June 2014 -- Call for entries and Jury selection of festival artists

July 2014 -- Team trip to Atlanta

September 2014 -- The Festival with record artists and attendance

September 2014 -- Baby Ramos joins the team

December 2014 -- The Holiday Fair at GCMA

We'll see you next year!

Announcing The Makers Summit Speakers!

We're incredibly excited to announce our fantastic lineup of speakers for the 2015 Makers Summit. These talented people will be providing keynotes, workshops, and panel discussions that will revolutionize your entrepreneurial world!

Check out The Makers Summit site to see full details!

What to expect at the holiday fair

Saturday's the big day! We can’t wait to see you all come out to the Indie Craft Parade Holiday Fair. Here are some final details to help make your experience the best it can be.

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Where and When is the Holiday Fair?

The Holiday Fair will be located at The Greenville County Museum of Art. 420 College Street, Greenville SC 29601 The hours are 10 am to 6 pm.

Please note, this is NOT the same location as our September festival. If you go to the Huguenot Mill there will not be anyone there. Also, The Greenville County Museum of Art is one of many buildings in Heritage Green, so refer to the photos below. You can look for outdoor signs for Indie Craft Parade. If this is your first time visiting GCMA, you can enter the building from either the front or back. Both entrances will lead you to the Holiday Fair.

Where can I park? There is a large parking lot at Heritage Green. If the lot is full, there are a number of parking garages in Greenville. The closest one to GCMA is Richardson Street. Also, the Downtown Trolley runs to Heritage Green on Saturday, so you can park anywhere close to the route, and hop on for free!

Who will be there?

We will have 30 artists at the Holiday Fair. This makes it a smaller event than the September Festival, but we’ve specially picked our vendors who are excellent for Christmas shopping. So bring your list!

Will there be a line?

Probably a short one. Last year we had 1,500 attendees throughout the day, and we expect that number to increase. However, the rest of the art museum is filled with amazing exhibits—especially one for kids and a series of guided tours. So if you need to wait at all, we recommend touring the museum or elsewhere on Heritage Green.

What about food?

We’ve got some great options for you! There will be a great selection of food trucks, including Asada and Thoroughfare. We’ll also be hosting one of our favorite duos, Circa Doughnuts and Methodical Coffee. Also, GCMA has provided an eating area in case the weather is cold.

See you this weekend! We can't wait!

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

Featured Sponsor: OhSnap! Photobooth

Wow! It's been over a month since the 2014 Indie Craft Parade, and we're still reliving the fun of the festival weekend! As we're buttoning up all the remaining details for 2014, we want to make sure you know about one of our favorite and long-time sponsors, Oh Snap! Photobooth. Every year, attendees to the festival look forward to snapping fun, impromptu shots in the photobooth. It's everyone's favorite souvenir (well, a close second after all the amazing handmade art they bought). We've waited a little to give this company proper recognition in order to collect some of our favorite examples from our followers on Instagram. Just a few more reminders of how much fun we had. Ways we love to see Oh Snap! photos appear on Instagram (as sampled below):

-- People showing off their collection of photo strips from multiple festival years -- Seeing pictures of our amazing artists with friends (old and new alike) -- Cramming as many faces as possible into the frame -- Photos of Indie Craft Parade purchases mixed in with souvenir photo strips

Photo courtesy of caraansley.

Photo courtesy of milk__moon.

Photo courtesy of timberline jewelry.

Photo courtesy of finktoys.

Photo courtesy of lorena_uribe11.

Photo courtesy of c_tadlock.

Please, if you ever contemplate having a photobooth at a party or gathering, contact Oh Snap! right away. You will not regret having this amazing feature at your event. The owner, Jon, has worked with us from the beginning of our event, and we couldn't imagine the festival without it!

2014-2015 Year of Workshops

Anyone who has followed Indie Craft Parade for even a short amount of time knows that we have two main objectives: 1) cultivate an awareness and appreciation of handmade art and 2) support artists and creatives in growing their businesses. Well, we're super excited to announce that over the next year we have even bigger and better plans to make that happen. Of course, we'll continue to hold The Makers Summit (it's going to be bigger and better than ever!) and the Holiday Fair(Saturday, December 6). Also, we will again be hosting monthly workshops or meet-ups to further encourage hand-making or small creative business success. We've planned a a huge assortment of events where attendees can learn a new skill they've always wanted to try, connect with other makers in our community, and develop valuable tools for growing their trades.

So, we've got an amazing line up for you! To learn more or to purchase tickets for the workshops, check here.

Here's a little sneak peek at a few of the upcoming workshops!

Handsewn Napkins with Mandy Blankenship, November 11

Barista 101 with Will Shurtz and Methodical Coffee, January 20

Modern Calligraphy with Ink Meets Paper, January 24

Paper Valentines with Mollie Greene, February 5

And lots more! We'll see you there.

2014 Indie Craft Parade School Scholarship

Since we started Indie Craft Parade, we’ve wanted to do more than just put on a great show in Greenville. We want to make a lasting impact on our community. One of the hopes for Indie Craft Parade is that we can inspire another generation of artists by getting involved with the art programs of Greenville County schools. In 2011 we established the Indie Craft Parade School Scholarship Program in which we donated funds to the art department of a Greenville County school. We understand that school budgets are always tight, but unfortunately it is often the fine arts programs that are the first to suffer when  funding cuts are made. It also breaks our hearts when we learn that art teachers sometimes have to pay out of pocket to supply the most basic tools like markers and crayons for their classes.

So we want to help.

Our goal is for the scholarship program to not only help fund a school’s art program that is lacking in resources but also expose students to a greater spectrum of art than is typically available in a classroom setting.For 2014, one scholarship of $500 will be awarded to a school in Greenville County.

Application photos from previous recipient Brook Glenn Elementary.

We want our scholarship to extend beyond just funding. We establish a true partnership with the school that is selected and work together to create opportunities for students and local artists to connect.

Applications will be selected based on three main criteria, including: -- Educational impact of the scholarship -- Need of the applying school -- Proposed use of the funds

Any school located in Greenville County can apply for these art program funds. Applications can be found online and must be submitted by October 31, 2014.  So let your school know about this opportunity!

The Indie Craft Parade scholarship is open to all schools, both public and private, in Greenville County. All schools are eligible for funding without discrimination due to race, religion, or socioeconomic status.

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.

What to Expect at Indie Craft Parade

If this is your time first attending Indie Craft Parade, you might wonder what you can expect at the event.  Hopefully this post will answer all your questions!

Who is this festival intended for? The whole community! Indie Craft Parade is for anyone interested in purchasing handcrafted goods. Indie Craft Parade features the best handmade art in the Southeast from 80 independent artisans. We invite the public to attend this festival and enjoy high quality crafts, local food, live music, and connect with makers.

Is there a cost to attend the festival? Yes, there is a $2 admission fee at the door. Children, 12 and under, are free to attend. We will accept both cash and credit card payments. 

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Where is the festival being held? Indie Craft Parade is held indoors at the historic Huguenot Mill in downtown Greenville, SC. The mill is located at 101 W. Broad Street, next to the Peace Center. The venue is handicapped accessible. There is street parking available, and several parking garages with easy walking distance.

Is this event family friendly? Absolutely! Saturday and Sunday are open to the public (again, kids are free), so bring the whole gang. However, your four-legged friends must stay at home (sorry, Fido!). If you have small children, we allow strollers, but do not recommend bringing them. The aisles are a bit narrow and make maneuvering a stroller a little difficult.  The only time alcohol will be served is at the VIP Gala, and attendees must be 21 years or older to partake.

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What type of goods can I expect to see? At Indie Craft Parade, you’ll find the best handcrafted goods in a variety of categories--everything from paintings to children’s toys, paper goods to jewelry, ceramic mugs to artisanal chocolate. You can get a sneak preview of some of the work by checking out blog posts like this one or this one.

Will credit cards be accepted? Most likely, but bring cash just in case. Many of the vendors may have the ability to accept credit cards. However you should be prepared to pay cash for some of the items you purchase. There is an ATM on site in case you forget your cash.

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Will I have to wait in line? It’s possible. We do our best to accommodate large crowds. However, depending on the turnout, you may have to wait in line before you enter. Obviously, our goal is to get everyone in as soon as possible, but we do have to respect the venue’s fire code. If there is a line, we’ll do our best to keep it moving quickly and aim to have everyone in within about 15 minutes.

Is there food and drink on site? Yes! We’re delighted to have the offerings of several local establishments available to our attendees. You can purchase items from Swamp Rabbit Cafe, Circa Doughnut, Luna Rosa, Tandem CC, Tealoha, and Methodical Coffee.

If you have any questions, please check out our FAQs. Reach out to us on social media.

VIP Gala

Hey everybody, only 10 days until the 5th Annual Indie Craft Parade. Every year we pack out the Huguenot Mill with fans who've been waiting all year to for the festival to come back. And to make it even more special, we kickoff the weekend within an amazing party--our VIP Gala. Only a limited number of ticket holders get to enjoy this preview event...and tickets are going quickly.

Haven't purchased your ticket yet? Better hurry! Here’s what makes our VIP Gala so great:

1) Ticket holders personally benefit Indie Craft Parade. Indie Craft Parade is a non-profit organization, and we are dedicated to keeping costs affordable for our artists. Many of them travel across the Southeast to show you their wares, and we don't want them to worry about losing their profits on the event itself. Your ticket purchases also help keep the festival inexpensive for the remainder of the weekend. We really want families, students, and especially kids to see the work of artists and be exposed to the creative community. And keeping the general festival admission so low means that nobody has an excuse not to attend.

2) Relaxed shopping atmosphere. We’re expecting a very large attendance on Saturday and Sunday, which means crowded aisles and limited access to all the artists. When it comes to the variety and extent of the artists’ work, Friday night is definitely the best way to see it. We frequently have artists sell out of goods before the festival ends, so if you want the best selection, get it on Friday night.

3) Giveaways! Our artists have gone above and beyond this year in donating work to our giveaway baskets. We have 15 baskets assembled—each one is worth over $100. Some are worth almost $200. The lucky winners of these baskets will be going home with a lot of loot.

4) Live Local Music. We've teamed up with the local band, Pioneer Fires, who will be providing music for the evening. Set in the entry of the beautiful historic Mill, the band will give the perfect mood for the evening.

5) Free Food and Drink. We’ve received the menu from our amazing caterer, Chef 360, and the food is going to be out of this world. The incredibly talented Chef Peter has worked up quite the menu for us—As artful as it is tasty. You can also expect some special treats from some of our favorite local restaurants, Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Tandem CC.

Just like last year, we're extremely excited to be providing only locally produced beverages at the VIP Gala. That list includes our favorite coffee guys, Methodical Coffee—who’ll delight us with some of the latest trends in coffee brewing; as well as our old friends at Tealoha---who will be bringing batches of house blended teas and lemonade; and a selection of South Carolina beers and ciders.

This is a party you don't want to miss. Do good and have a great time altogether at the VIP Gala. Be sure to get your tickets before it's too late!

Featured Sponsor: Squarespace

Have you ever wanted to make a website for your artwork, your wedding, your business, but lacked the technical skills to make it happen? Or perhaps your looked into hiring a web designer but found it too pricey for your project. Well, despair no more. We'd like to introduce your new best friend: Squarespace.

Squarespace makes it simple for anyone to build an incredible website. With their beautiful templates, your portfolio, restaurant, or blog will shine. Their integrated commerce makes online shopping a breeze, and managing inventory and print packing slips is so easy it's fun. The list of perks keeps on going, including free logo design and top-notch customer service.

Squarespace is designed for creative entrepreneurs, and their commitment to quality shows in everything they do. We're so glad to partner with Squarespace for the 2015 Indie Craft Parade festival!

Try out Squarespace for free! Make a beautiful website and see what happens next.

Sneak Peek: Gala Giveaways

It's less than 3 weeks until Indie Craft Parade kicks off with the VIP Gala! Did you get your tickets yet? There’s not many left, don’t miss out.

The VIP Gala offers an exclusive first look at the artists’ work. Enjoy the opening night of the festival with a relaxed shopping atmosphere and live music. Comlimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages (handcrafted coffee, tea, craft beer, and hard cider) are provided.In addition to all this, our gala guests can also win amazing giveaways! Take a look at just a few of the wonderful handmade items our artists have donated for the giveaways:

Credits: Slab. / Crave Studio / Sweeteeth / Perla Anne / Queen's Cupboard

Credits: paperform / Once Again Sam / Emily Jeffords Studio / Block & Hammer

Credits: Lily Pottery / January Jewelry / Spectrum / Maritime Supply Co.

Credits: Finkelstein's Center / Strawberry Moth / Owlette / Pogoshop / Precious America

Credits: Zen Succulent / Very Fine South / Bean & Bailey Ceramics / Oriskany Glass Studio

Credits: Paige Elizabeth Design / Shed Labs / Cory Godbey / Ello Lovey

Credits: Whispering Willow Soap Company / Culleymade Knits / billiamjeans / Muncle Fred Art

You could go home with a giveaway basket worth several times the ticket price! Tickets are $30 each and are available here.  Ticket proceeds help support Indie Craft Parade, a nonprofit organization, and our desire to keep festival costs affordable for both established and emerging artists.

Calling All Volunteers

Every year the festival relies on a lot more than the staff who organizes it or the artists who make it awesome. We need a core group of volunteers to ensure the festival runs smoothly. If you've attended and enjoyed the festival in the past, it's largely to the credit of the people who give their free time over the course of the weekend. The volunteers keep things running smoothly and efficiently, and we're so thankful for them.

So if you'd like to be involved as a volunteer for Indie Craft Parade, please get in touch by emailing jen@makerscollective.org. You don't need any particular skills--mainly a friendly smile and the willingness to dig in and help! 

Featured Sponsor: MailChimp

One tool we frequently use that makes our lives easier also happens to be a company who actively supports creative events across the country like Indie Craft Parade. It’s our friends at MailChimp!We like to seek out sponsors whose services are valuable and relevant to our artists and fans. And we also like to share tools we use to make our organization more efficient. MailChimp is both of those.

If you receive our Indie Craft Parade or Makers Summit newsletters, then you’ve seen MailChimp in action. (And if you’re not on the list, you can sign up at the bottom of our sites!). MailChimp makes communicating via email so much easier.

They also provide a set of great Resources for beginners, whether you're selling items online, a nonprofit like us, or just getting started sending emails. For those already familiar with MailChimp, be sure to look into the many ways you can integrate your MailChimp account with other services you use regularly like Facebook, Twitter and some eCommerce platforms!

While you're at it, be sure to let MailChimp know you appreciate their support of events like Indie Craft Parade.

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!

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!