Highlights from GO WEST! Craft Fest

Thanks so much to everyone who came out for the Fest. It turned out to be an amazing day! Special thanks to our amazing artisan vendors and the entertainers: Jay Sand, Sour Mash, Jheni the face painter, Brien the juggler and Tiny Circus!

We hope to bring our beloved West Philly an even bigger and better Fest in the Fall, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, check out this slideshow of moments from Saturday.

Checklist for GO WEST! Craft Fest

The trees are in full bloom, and the weather should be lovely this Saturday. What a perfect day for a Craft Fest! Here are some things to remember that might help make the most of your day at GO WEST! Craft Fest at The Woodlands.

• SEPTA tokens. The Fest is right across from the 40th Street trolley portal, served by the 12, 13, 34 and 36 trolleys. Hop on any westbound "Green Line" subway/surface car from Center City (EXCEPT the 10) and arrive in minutes.
• Comfortable shoes. While the Fest is conveniently close to the entrance, visitors may choose to explore farther into the 54-acre grounds and even tour the Hamilton Mansion, a grand example of 18th century neoclassical architecture. William Hamilton, an avid botanist, collected and planted dozens of various trees on the estate, many of which are now some of our nation's oldest and largest specimens, thriving among the monuments for over 30 thousand eternal Philadelphians. Stroll the winding paths and see for yourself.
• Your Gift List. Our talented vendors make a huge variety of products, like jewelry, clothing, accessories, fine art, cards, toys, candles, teas and more, even honey produced right there on the grounds of the Woodlands. Keep in mind your loved ones' birthdays, weddings, graduations and other gift-giving occasions like Mother's Day and Father's Day. Your unique GO WEST! gift will be fondly remembered because it was made with love and care by a local artisan.
• Cash. Some of our vendors do accept credit cards, but there is a good chance that the irresistible treasure you discover can be had for cash only and may not be seen again (even at VIX). The closest ATM is at Mill Creek Tavern, 4200 Chester Avenue.
• A Picnic Lunch and Blanket. The Woodlands is a perfect place for a picnic, but keep in mind that besides Black Orchid's vegan specialties, there will be no prepared food available at the event. Pack a bag or stop by on your way to get a banh mi from Fu Wah, a chaat from Desi Chaat, or something yummy from Milk & Honey, Best House, Green Line or any of the other fine food establishments on Baltimore Avenue. The closest food/beverage availability is Starbucks, 4140 Woodland.
  
• A child, who will have tons of fun singing and playing music with Jay Sand of All Around This World at 1pm, and be mesmerized by fancy juggling tricks and trapeze artists.
  
• A camera, to capture memories of a perfect spring day, the flowering trees, historic monuments, and the dazzling aerial feats that TinyCircus will perform at 3pm!
• Your senses of curiosity, creativity and wonder, and enough time to experience the day. Hope to see you there!

New Venue for GO WEST! Craft Fest: The Woodlands!

We are delighted to announce that this Spring's Craft Fest, our biggest yet, will be held at The Woodlands, one of West Philly's most special spots. Located at 40th Street where Baltimore, Chester and Woodland Avenues meet, this 54-acre "historic mansion, cemetery and landscape" is a serene and natural green space, popular with joggers, dog walkers and history buffs, as well as the final resting place of over 30 thousand Philadelphians since 1840.

The Craft Fest will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 from 11-5 (rain date April 15) just inside the main gates of the grounds, directly across Woodland Avenue from the 40th St. trolley portal (served by the 11, 13, 34 and 36 trolleys). In addition to FIFTY of Philly's finest makers of jewelry, art prints, home goods, paper goods, ceramics, wood crafts, clothing, accessories, toys, soaps, candles and more, there will be live entertainment! Jay Sand of All Around This World will do a kid's music set at 1 pm, Tiny Circus will perform aerial feats at 3 pm, and there will be random acts of juggling throughout the day. Face painting for kids, too!

The Craft Fest is in a space that is adjacent to but set apart from the cemetery, so show-goers need not encounter any grave sites if they don't wish to. More intrepid visitors may stroll around the grounds and view historic grave markers and monuments, including notables such as architect Paul Philippe Cret (1876-1945), financier Francis Martin Drexel (1792-1863), artist Thomas Eakins (1844-1916), abolitionist Mary Grew (1813-96), surgeon Samuel Gross (1805-84), and Commodore David Porter (1780-1843). The elegant 18th century neoclassical mansion of botanist William Hamilton, contemporary of John Bartram and grandson of the original "Philadelphia lawyer" Andrew Hamilton, will also be open for tours. His former estate is now the home of some of our state's stateliest trees, including a handful of Pennsylvania champion specimens, some originally collected by Hamilton himself.

We are so excited to be holding this Spring's GO WEST! Craft Fest at The Woodlands.

See you in West!

April 14th Go West! -Now Accepting Applications-

Now accepting applications for the spring Fest on April 14th. Please check out our vendor information and apply to gowestcraftfest@gmail.com. We already have many talented folks in the line up, not to mention some wonderful performers that we'll be showcasing soon. We're really looking forward to an amazing kickoff to the Craft Fair season!

Thanks for an awesome show!

Thank you so much to all our amazing vendors and to all you lovely people who came out to support our local craft scene! It was a terrifically successful day, we couldn't have hoped for more. You can read a great PW blog post about the event here.

Check back soon for details & happenings at our Spring Go West! Craft Fest, April 14.

Featured Artist: The Apothecarium

The Apothecarium is a carefully collected assortment of natural jewelry, screen-printed pieces, and wearable art based out of West Philly, and curated by Joëlle Workman.

This cabinet of curiosities provides a wide variety of affordable oddities for varying tastes and budgets

Featured Seller: Amy B. Jewelry

Amy B. makes fun and fanciful laser-cut acrylic jewelry. Her designs include custom word bubbles, Polaroid picture frames and my favorites, the paper airplanes! They can also be seen at VIX Emporium and a handful of other Philly boutiques.

Amy and her husband Paul are also responsible for organizing Crafty Balboa, South Philly's "knock-down, drag out craft event". Their Holiday show is December 17, so check it out for more handmade goodness, South Philly style!