The Second Annual Culture & Artisans’ Fair
Carmel will join 20 other artisans from around the world to see their handmade artwork at the second annual Culture & Artisan’s Fair.
Community-wide Event Celebrates Diversity, Extends Welcome, and Cultivates Connections
Open-air markets worldwide offer a vibrant tapestry of sights, sounds, and flavors, creating a rich and immersive experience that reflects the diverse cultural traditions and local craftsmanship unique to each region. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the City of Upper Arlington, and CRIS endeavor to create this type of experience right here in Central Ohio as we plan for the 2024 Culture & Artisans’ Fair on Saturday, May 4th.
In its second year, the Culture & Artisans’ Fair is expanding to feature the handiwork of twenty vendors representing a dozen distinct nations and cultures. Woodwork from Eritrea, home decor from El Salvador, quilts from Bangladesh, embroidered bags from Syria, and pinatas from Colombia are just a few of the beautiful items that will be featured at the fair–all made by hand, with great care, by refugees and immigrants who now call Columbus home. The aroma of coffee roasting in a traditional Eritrean coffee ceremony, accompanied by Ugandan baked goods, set to the rhythm of live Colombian music in the background, will round about the ambiance of the Fair to make it a full sensory experience!
In addition to providing space for artisans to sell their work (all proceeds go directly to the artisans) and celebrating the diversity of our community, the Fair is also a collaborative effort toward unity and welcome. Emma Speight, Community Affairs Director for the City of Upper Arlington, shares, “The City’s Community Relations Committee (CRC) is focused on advancing Upper Arlington as a welcoming community, and we launched a small grant program to support programs and events that aspire to the same goals. The St. Mark’s Culture and Artisans’ Fair is a perfect match for grant funding and CRC support since it provides an opportunity for our residents to meet with, support and learn from representatives of the immigrant community, and it brings visitors to UA who might not otherwise experience our beautiful community. The CRC has welcomed the opportunity to incorporate the Fair into its UA Welcome Series, a year-round initiative focused on providing connections for new and newer residents, as well as visitors to UA.”
St. Mark’s Rector, Reverend Vicki Zust, echoes this sentiment, "I'm so excited to see that the Fair is becoming a fixture in the Upper Arlington community. The hope was that something like this would bring together not only the Upper Arlington community, but the greater Columbus community and would serve to connect long-time residents of our region with our new neighbors. I couldn't be more pleased and excited about how the whole community has embraced the fair."