Garage Art Fair Fun

On September 29, Downtown Evanston held Oktoberfest, and in conjunction with it Evanston Made organized a Makers Market. The market would be held in the garage adjoining the Oktoberfest parking lot, which was a great idea.

My outdoor show track record is horrendous, so having a roof over my head that wouldn’t blow away made signing up more comfortable.

Sure enough, the weather that week couldn’t make up its mind whether it was summer or fall, and after 280-degree days it decided to drop the temperature down to mid-50s in the morning, and threaten with Thunderstorms the night before.

Fortunately the grey skies turned white and the rain mostly stayed away. We didn’t have to worry about that during unloading, as our cars were part of the show for most of us (some artists opted to move their cars to another location).

I had fun making use of my trunk, but was glad I could also use my table setup as it is easier to showcase my wares that way.

Others rented tables, and some even brought their own tents in spite of the roof. About 50 Evanston Made artists displayed ceramics, fashion, home goods, home decor, jewelry and makeup.

Promptly at noon the first attendees began strolling in.

There was a kids’ maker section where about 10 children set up their creations, and some gave the adults a run for their money with their artistic talent. “Evanston Made: the next generation” is up and coming! This section also held a “Make your own art” table where kids of all ages made prints with food items.

The public took elevators up to the 5^th floor, which appropriately represented “Painting”. I have always loved the artistic theme of the Maple Street Garage, and now it holds a special memory.

Downstairs the Oktoberfest was hopping, offering beer, food trucks and German-influenced entertainment.

We soon saw Oktoberfest participants stroll through as well, identifiable by their beer steins.

It was really cool to see how people made use of their space and the architecture of the garage.

It was also fun to visit with other local artists and get to know them better.

Vaiju is also at Artem Pop Up Gallery.

My favorite part was that Swantiques set up a lounge. I was hoping there would be some chairs for friends who needed a place to rest, and Swantiques went above and beyond!