I can’t believe I totally forgot about the Crap Fair this weekend in Springfield. We were driving back from the Main Library and saw all these cars and people in the Inertia parking lot. Boink! I’ll chalk it up to vacation lag.
The Crap (craft) Fair is the brainchild of Alisa Bernath, who makes bags, a lot of bags. You can see a blurry Alisa in this picture. There was a great turnout in terms of people for the first Crap Fair. I hear there was 300 or so people flowing in and out throughout the day. The turnout impressed Ian Ranne so much he thought monthly Crap Fairs could be a possibility. Ian is the owner of Shantytown and one of a trio of people who organize events at the space.
If this is true, I’m really looking forward to the second Crap Fair. More time to organize, promote and fine tune. This one seemed hastily thrown together, even though I know Alisa has been planning it for a while. I hope this doesn’t sounds like a knock on her, because it’s not. She should be commended for her efforts to organize something this city poorly needs. There are too many people in this city who complain about it but don’t do anything to change it. Alisa is making a difference.
My favorite things about the Crap Fair were free cupcakes (thanks!), meeting Joy, the owner of the Bogda Gallery in Riverside, Jimmy Pines paintings for $30 and seeing the new Shaun Thurston mural in the common area (below). You really have to see the mural in person, it’s sick! As soon as I hear of another Crap Fair date, I’ll post it here, until then you can view all my photos in the Cra(ft)p Fair photoset.
If anyone knows who the artist in the second picture is can you please tell me? He told me his myspace URL, but I can’t remember. Somthing “wharf”.
CRAP! i wish i had known about that.
I will certainly stay tuned. Would love to participate in the next one - is there contact info for Alisa available?
dudebro, you also missed that dude in the gray sweatshirt (Erik the Ded//Biking Viking) throwing down some sick smokin’ fixed gear bikin’ rap sounds at shantytown for the after party!
That’s true Erik. I had no idea about the show or the bike race. I’ll have to get down next time!
Oh man, I wish i knew that was going on! You’re right, the city desperately needs something like this. Would you post something when/if you know there will be another?
The fixed gear bike rap was awesome.
it’s danteswharf. all one word.
Thank you sujamatic!
Next event is on December 8th at Bogda. It’s an all out crafty sidewalk sale. From 8am-ish to whenever. Contact Alisa or Bogda for more info or to take part.