Arts & Entertainment

Ferndale's DIY Street Fair Returns Sept. 14-16

This year's event will include more space for local vendors and musical acts.

The DIY Street Fair - Ferndale's annual three-day event celebrating local artists, crafters and businesses adopting a do-it-yourself ethic - is expanding its footprint for 2012.

This year's event Sept. 14-16 will extend the former fair area, which bordered Nine Mile Road near the , onto Nine Mile Road itself with additional vendors and an additional concert-grade stage area, according to a press release.

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The fair, which is sponsored by Your Metro Detroit Chevrolet Dealers, is celebrating its five-year anniversary this year.

"DIYSF, as an event, hit the ground running five years ago with threads crisscrossing through it that caught more and more momentum in each passing year," event founder Chris Johnston said in the release. "Just as the artists hone their skills we are consistently doing the same."

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Johnston is also the co-owner of , and establishments near the event site.

“I think we're going to show a lot of people a great time in Ferndale again this September," he said.

The marketplace will hold nearly 130 local crafters, artists, businesses and charities. The planning committee saw a record number of applicants this year, the release states.

“We were able to add about 30 more vendors, thanks to the extended footprint. We're amazed at all of the genuine talent and enthusiasm,” said Emily Husband, a DIYSF coordinator.

Need to Know

  • What: 2012 DIY Street Fair
  • When: Sept. 14, 15 and 16
  • Where: Southeast quadrant of Nine Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, spanning the Ferndale Public Library parking lot, Troy Street and the city parking lot (Falvey Lot) behind Woodward Avenue Brewers in Ferndale.
  • Hours: Friday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, Sept. 15, 11 a.m. to midnight with Kids Zone noon until 6 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 16, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with Kids Zone noon-6 p.m., Marketplace 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free musical performances each evening until 2 a.m. at the Jack Daniels Landing Pad (The Loving Touch).

More details

DIY organizers list these event features that set the street fair apart:

  • Free to attend: Plus free activities for kids, families and fair-goers of all ages.
  • Purely local: Local sponsors, no national vendors.
  • Nighttime marketplace: Vendors stay open late into the evening.
  • Michigan brewers: More than 30 varieties of locally produced beverages - consumption permitted throughout the fair area.
  • Mindful experience: DIYSF aims to produce a traditional fair experience focused on friends and neighbors. The DIYSF Kids Zone offers educational, hands-on experiences that promote the DIY ethic; "no elephant ears here," says area coordinator Krista Johnston.
  • Entertainment: All performing bands have a tie to the local area and are passionate about the quality and authenticity of their work. Many have self-produced and/or self-released recordings.
  • Local record shop: Royal Oak-based UHF records will be on site to sell local merchandise on behalf of the performing bands.
  • Philanthropy: DIYSF hosts a shared community tent where local charities can raise funds through the sale of DIYSF-provided lemonade, popcorn, and cotton candy.
  • Green: Diligent about reducing waste wherever possible, the fair wrapped its first annual event with just one bag of trash, and the same practices continue. Free water is provided to patrons to minimize plastic bottle usage, and beer is served in reusable cups.

Check out . Visit www.diystreetfair.com for more information about the event.


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