This Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. each day, The Wooly will host its second Maker Faire. This fair will transform the venue into a market of local vendors selling handmade, vintage and general niche items. The event will also feature local artists showcasing their work, with admission free and open to the public.
The first Maker Faire was held in spring and had a huge turnout. The family-friendly event gave Gainesville residents a way to experience the town’s culture and fuel the local economy by supporting Gainesville-based small businesses.
“I definitely plan on checking out the Maker Faire this weekend,” Jake Granger, a 20-year-old UF telecommunication junior, said. “I bought some really cool plants for my garden the last time I went.”
The event offers a wide variety of products from handmade jewelry and clothing to housewares, ceramics, plants and even pets. Though there will be no food trucks or catering involved with the Maker Faire, The Wooly will be offering drink specials on weekend favorites like sangria and mimosas.
“Unfortunately, catered food is not a part of the Maker Faire this time around,” venue manager Audrey Dingeman said, “but maybe down the road as we grow, that will change.”
Dingeman said she plans to have a Maker Faire occur once in the fall and once in the spring every year. If this weekend’s event proves successful, then that plan will be put into effect. Maybe The Wooly’s Maker Faire will follow in the footsteps of downtown Gainesville’s weekly farmers markets on Wednesdays, becoming a staple in Gainesville’s culture.
“I am always looking for something to do downtown in the afternoon,” Granger said. “I hope this season’s Maker Faire is as good as the last one.”
