Crafty Mart, an alternative craft show founded by J Hudson, of Cuyahoga Falls, and Juniper Sage, of Akron, is heading into its third year and will take place Nov. 26 from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. at Musica, which is located on Market Street near High Street.
Sage, who owns Square Records in Highland Square with her husband Dave Ignizio, was a vendor at a similar show called Bazaar Bizarre in Cleveland in 2007 when she met Hudson, who stopped by her booth and wondered out loud why Akron didn’t have an alternative craft show of its own.
Hudson had been making the trek to Cleveland with his three children for the show for several years .
“My kids thought it was cool,” Hudson said. “It became kind of a tradition for us.”
Hudson said his family appreciated the creative outlet that the craft show provided for emerging artists, and he wanted to bring a similar venue to the Akron area. He and Sage chose Musica in Akron for the first Crafty Mart and set about finding vendors for the first show, which took place in November 2009.
In 2010 they added a spring show, and now loyal customers flock to the hip crafters' mecca twice a year to purchase unique handcrafted items. Each show has seen growth in vendors and customers, and the show recently expanded into the We gallery space on the upper floor of Musica.
Crafter Chris Rutan said her appearance at Crafty Mart has led to some great exposure. After seeing her products at the last show, a local gallery placed a large order for her origami ornaments and hand-crafted wallets.
“I love doing Crafty Mart,” Rutan said. “It’s always so positive and fun, and it always has a great mix of artists.”
Hudson may be glad to know that the craft show he co-founded is now a destination for Akron-area families. Wendy Perdue, of Hudson, is making a tradition of attending the November show with her daughters Molly and Emma.
“The girls and I love the show because everything is unique! As a family we love to buy local! It is a great afternoon with the family and a great atmosphere. I am always so amazed at the talented and creative artists!"
For more information, visit www.craftymart.com or email questions to .
