Thank you!!

Wow, Saturday was amazing! The weather turned beautiful and we had the biggest crowd yet. Thank you so much to all of our talented vendors, the wonderful performers, our super-helpful helpers, the folks at The Woodlands and the West Philly Coop School for face painting and fun crafts.

Of course a huge thanks to everyone who came out, shopped and made the Fest a wonderful success. We'll keep the vendor list up until the next Fest (which will be in September) so you can see what everyone's up to and shop online. We also have lots of pictures from Saturday on the sidebar (courtesy of David Scott) and more on the VIX Emporium flickr page.

To keep yourself in the know about GO WEST! please "like" our page on Facebook and share with your friends! Can't wait to see you in the Fall!

Checklist for GO WEST! Craft Fest

The trees are in bloom, and the weather is shaping up to be slightly overcast but free from rain this Saturday! (This Saturday morning it's still true! Hope to see everyone!) A perfect day all considered 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. While there is limited parking along the road through the Woodlands we recommend getting there by alternate means. If you do drive please don’t park in front of the Festival, parking is allowed farther along the path.
• 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. Although some of our vendors do accept credit cards, not all do and there is a good chance that the irresistible treasure you discovered may not be seen again (even at VIX).  Also did you know when you pay by credit card to a small business they’re losing valuable dollars per transaction to a huge credit card company? We’re happy to take  your cards, but we like cash much better. The closest ATM is at Mill Creek Tavern, 4200 Chester Avenue.
• A Blanket for a Picnic Lunch . The Woodlands is a perfect place for a picnic, Black Orchid will have veggie & vegan cheesesteaks & hotdogs, Taco Angeleno will be debuting all manner of Mexican style tacos & The Satellite Café will be there for all of your coffee needs.
• Your Sweet Tooth, with gourmet popsicles from the Lil Pop Shop and Weckerleys Ice Cream it will be hard not to resist something, not to mention vegan treats from The Satellite Cafe!
•  A child, who will have tons of fun singing and playing music with  Ann from the Green Tambourine at  noon & Jay Sand of All Around This World at 2pm. They'll be mesmerized by fancy juggling tricks and trapeze artists and  get their face painted and do nature inspired (it is earth day after all) arts & crafts courtesy of  the West Philly Coop School & the UC Arts League.
• 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! Not to mention the pair of red tailed hawks that are frequently spotted  and are nesting somewhere in the Woodlands.
• Your senses of curiosity, creativity and wonder, and enough time to experience the day.

 There's plenty to do in the neighborhood tomorrow, don't forget about the Clark Park Farmers Market for some local produce and while you're there check out the Uhuru Health Fair & Flea Market for health screenings & flea market finds. Then come on down to the most talked about handmade Craft Fest West Philly has to offer, hope to see you there!

Entertainment line-up for Saturday's Go West Craft Fest

We are eagerly awaiting this Saturday's GO WEST! Craft Fest and hoping for clear weather. (If it rains, we will move the show to Sunday the 21st. We'll make the call early Saturday morning, so check back here for updates.)

In the meantime, here's a preview of the wonderful local acts that will entertain us throughout the day. All performances are free and open to the public.

12 noon: The Green Tambourine

The Green Tambourine music studio, recently opened at 4614 Baltimore Avenue, offers playful, interactive musical exploration classes for small children and group instruction for older children and adults. Instructors will offer some kid-friendly tunes, and some of their students show off their newly polished musical talents. Little ones can also join in the fun with "musical open play".

1 pm: Cassendre Xavier

Describing herself as a "renaissance negresse & ARTrepreneur", Cassendre Xavier is the award-winning founder of the Black Women's Arts Festival. As a musician, Ms. Xavier is a prolific singer-songwriter-guitarist with a pop blend of folk, jazz, blues and rock. Her 3 studio albums showcase her rich, sweet singing voice, deft guitar strumming, and finger-picking. Her 3 live recordings include entertaining audiences with her bubbly humor and charm.
Ms. Xavier is also a multi-genre writer, actress, and fine artist who periodically creates chapbooks, ebooks, candles, guided meditation/affirmation song audio recordings, and stationery. CXTV, her official YouTube channel, showcases her music, raw vegan food prep, guided meditations, affirmation
songs, poetry, rants, parody songs, and all sorts of malarkey, shenanigans, and tomfoolery.

2 pm: Jay Sand

Jay Sand, a GO WEST! veteran, is the founder of All Around This World, a wonderful international music program for children aged 0-8. In Jay's classes, children explore the rhythms, songs, stories and dances of many different cultures, one region per 11-week session. Jay does exhaustive research in each region's traditional songs and customs, then interprets them into fun and engaging musical activities, dances and games, often involving a multitude of percussion instruments and props like scarves and costumes. Join Jay at 2 for some sing-along, clap-along, drum-along fun!

3 pm: Tinycircus

This is the third time that Tinycircus, a production of Tangle Movement Arts, has performed at GO WEST! Craft Fest. See dazzling midair performances on trapezes & aerial silks at 3 pm.

4 pm: Commonwealth Keg Rollers

Joined by members of local bluegrass favorites Sour Mash, the Commonwealth Keg Rollers will belt out some good ol' twang at 4.