Rock out with your sock monkeys out November 23 through 25 at the fifth annual Rock N Roll Craft Show in Delmar Loop. The show, tucked inside the Third Degree Glass Factory, is a three-day department-style craft extravaganza with a rock ‘n’ roll theme.
“We try to keep everything fresh,” says Jessi Cerutti, one of the organizers of the show. “An aesthetic that is not like your grandma’s craft fair–type thing.”
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The show will feature the work of around 100 artists, most of them local. The pieces on sale will be organized by department; all clothing in one department, all pottery in another, for example. Instead of flitting from booth to booth, shoppers can load their carts with whatever they need from each department. So no more searching the entire craft show for that one jewelry piece you wanted to see—and no more awkward small talk with the artist while you browse their wares.
“You have the person in the booth, and you walk in their booth, and you think you like their stuff and you’re not sure,” Cerutti says. “They’re eyeballing you, and you feel like you have to talk to them, and it’s a whole awkward experience. So we try to eliminate that.”
Another perk of the department-style show? A speedy centralized checkout, where everything can be purchased at once.
Because it wouldn’t be rock ‘n’ roll without music, live bands and DJs from KDHX will perform throughout the show. Tiny Montgomery Kitchen will have snacks for sale, and Third Degree is providing a cash bar. Be on the lookout for the show’s mascot, a rather large sock monkey who is happy to pose for pictures.
The fair will feature a wide variety of items, from furniture, to musical instruments, to handmade stuffed animals, to fine art. Cerutti said the prices range from $1 for a single handmade button, to $200 for some glassware. Sample artists include Beqi Clothing, Scarlett Garnet Jewelry, Hudson Bear Knits and Sprouted Designs.
Cerutti and the other organizers of the event put out a call for artists around late May to early June. They then begin selecting artists for the show based on the uniqueness of their work. The Rock N Roll Craft Show typically hosts up to 100 artists, many of who mill about the show alongside shoppers.
The show runs from November 23 through 25, but Friday, November 23 is the show’s Red Carpet Black Friday opening. For a $10 entry fee, VIP guests can preview the wares for sale, before the show officially opens on Saturday, November 24. The first 100 guests during Red Carpet Black Friday will receive a goodie bag, and every VIP patron will receive an entry into a raffle, several of which will be hosted throughout the day.
The entry fees for Saturday and Sunday will be $3 per day. Third Degree will perform glass-blowing demonstrations throughout the weekend.
Cerutti says the department-style show is much harder to put on than a regular craft show, but it’s worth the extra effort.
“It’s a lot of work, but I think that’s what makes our show so unique,” Cerutti says. “That’s one reason we keep doing it, because it’s a different thing and people look forward to it every year.”
The Rock N Roll Craft Show runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 23 with a $10 entry fee; from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, November 24 with a $3 entry fee; and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, November 25 with a $3 entry. For more information, visit rocknrollcraftshow.com.
