(Wallyhood welcomes Liz Wagner, the newest addition to our writing team)
With holiday shopping season in full swing, you may be searching for something a little different this year.
Find something locally ‘grown’ at the DIY Holiday Fair and Fundraiser, “Swap It. Spin It. Bring It.” this Saturday, December 12th at the Seattle Center.
Wallingford’s volunteer-run independent internet radio station Hollow Earth Radio (HER) teamed up with The Vera Project to host this one-of-a-kind art and music fair at Vera (Republican and Warren Ave N in Queen Anne). From 11am – 5pm, the DIY marketplace will feature independent Northwest record and cassette labels, silk-screened show posters, vintage record dealers, local artists and craft-makers selling their wares. Local bands The Foghorns, 1985, June Madrona, Dashel Schueler, Iji, and World History will rock out while you shop.
You can even do your own silkscreening! Original Vera Project logos will be designed by 10 local designers and made available for everyone to silkscreen. For just $5, Vera silkscreen instructors will help you print one of the logos on any fabric item you bring. Or if you don’t have a blank shirt (or want it to remain blank), you can buy one there.
Following the event, the Vera Project logo designs will tour participating Café Vita locations with prints available for purchase.
Each organization hosted their own individual holiday fair last year (coincidentally, on the same day). This is the first year they’ve co-hosted the event.
“We really wanted to find a way to buy locally for the holidays. What can we get for our families that feels like Seattle or feels like us? The idea for the fair came out of that, too. Being able to buy local art and local music,” said Amber of HER, one of the fair’s organizers.
In addition to supporting local artists directly, all donations from this event help Hollow Earth Radio (HER) and The Vera Project in their good work supporting the art and music community.
But don’t fret if you can’t make this one. Amber is already toying with hosting another fair this summer at one of Wallyhood’s favorite locations: “I think my ideal summertime activity would be to have it outside in the parking lot of Rancho Bravo. It’d be a neat place, we love Rancho Bravo.”
I, for one, am so there.