The Echo Park Craft Fair, a bi-annual, two-day art and design event, makes its anticipated 2017 holiday appearance December 9 & 10 at Mack Sennett Studios (1215 Bates Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029). Founded by designer and stylists: Rachel Craven and Beatrice Valenzuela in 2009, the Echo Park Craft Fair has become a pioneering showcase for the thriving Makers Movement. Showcasing a meticulous curation of work that spans all categories, this incredible gathering features everything from ceramics to jewelry, handcrafted beauty products to clothing design, woodworking to textile art.
Founded at the cusp of what is now a global trend toward the support of the handmade and locally sourced, The Echo Park Craft Fair has evolved, over nearly a decade, from a backyard pop-up to a vast community event. Drawing influencers and tastemakers, as well as national and international retail buyers, magazine editors and stylists – the Fair has become a valued resource for showcasing products, igniting ideas and fueling creative inspiration.
Both Valenzuela and co-founder Rachel Craven are successful designers with established namesake lines. Together, they have spearheaded and nurtured what has become both an evolving e-commerce business and a one-of-a-kind communal gathering. “As the Fair grows it’s important to remember what it’s all about – we’re women and artists who are supporting each other, validating each other’s vision, laughing, creating and struggling together. No matter where it all goes, how much it grows – it has to remain about that sense of community and fostering a greater sense of beauty in the world.”
It is exactly this sense of inclusiveness, plus a relentless eye for quality and detail that sets the Echo Park Craft Fair apart from other markets of its kind. This is an event not merely showcasing and celebrating artists – it’s curated and founded by artists as well. Expanding far beyond from its beginnings as an intimate backyard gathering, The Echo Park Craft Fair now occupies the entirety of the legendary Mack Sennett Studios in Los Angeles, spreading across two massive soundstages and occupying an entire block just outside the historic venue. It features not only the best artists working in beauty, crafts and design, but also includes delicious, artisan food and drinks from diverse local vendors, including: Moon Juice, Canyon Coffee, Leaves and Flowers, Alejandra’s Quesadillas, SOO N Food, Gorumando, Lori, Morning Glory Confections, Solstice Canyon, Sun Potion, and Todo Verde, Yo Tambien, and Zenbunni Chocolate. The holiday event will also feature a specialty cocktail bar hosted by Pharmacie.
Hosting thousands of guests over the course of the weekend, the Fair draws style-icons, celebrities and trendsetters – a creative-minded, discerning crowd who cull inspiration from both the vendors and vibrant communal atmosphere.
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