Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are privy to many different forms of festival-
The once small craft show has now become a staple throughout the Seattle area, with festivals during every season of the year. The ever-popular event has now spread to multiple locations, thanks to the help of local businesses and event holders such as: Amazon, Magnolia Summerfest, and the First Thursday activities held in Occidental Park.
Urban Craft Uprising (UCU) coalesced through the collaborative passions of originally 50 craft vendors and now includes more than 150 autonomous crafters. The simple, yet beautiful, idea of providing quality products of responsibly-sourced origins was an innovative and incredibly sound foundation on which to build their platform.
In 2014, Urban Craft Uprising partnered with Seattle Street Food Festival and in turn was able to increase the amount of shows and opportunities to engage with the community. Their efforts caught our eye, at Hero Creative, because of their consistent commitment to growing their sphere of influence and they continued to extend their impact in new neighborhoods of Seattle.
UCU has an expansive array of products and services available at their shows. Vendors crafts include: jewelry, gifts, bags, wallets, buttons, accessories, aprons, children’s goods, furniture, candles, clothing of all types, and many more types of goods. In addition to the handmade crafts, UCU offers a variety of food and live music to enhance the experience of customers.
The Winter Show was the initial opportunity to experience the diverse environment of crafts and options for consumer entertainment. Since the humble beginnings of a single event in the winter, the UCU is now the largest indie craft event in both Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, respectively.
Urban Craft Uprising provides a platform for local creatives to come together and foster a caring relationship within different communities throughout the Greater Seattle Area. Their events and festivals encourage collaborative business structures to benefit all individual crafters by bringing their products and services to the table in an impassioned setting.
The UCU branded events are now bi-annual, although other contracted events continue to happen in conjunction with those businesses outlined above (ie Amazon, Magnolia Summerfest, and the Summer Art Walks). Several members of our Hero Creative team are regulars at the First Thursdays events in Occidental Park, conveniently within walking distance from our office in Pioneer Square.
Events like Urban Craft Uprising’s shows and their adjacent one time events provide an outlet for local creatives to market their objects and grow their respective businesses and brands. While the main goal of UCU was to increase exposure of local businesses, their events also serve as springboards for artists, creators and musicians.
We at Hero Creative were inspired by their embrace of the multicultural perspectives throughout Seattle. Urban Craft Uprising has created a platform to allow different voices to be heard and we share their passion for reaching as many people in our city as possible. Seattle remains at the forefront in the United States when it comes to earth-friendly alternatives to nationally produced products, and this creative alternative to shopping exclusively at large stores is an important experience for Seattleites to enjoy.
Take a look at Urban Craft Uprising’s website and their exciting upcoming events!
Additionally, feel free to explore our own creative endeavors at Hero Creative on the rest of our site.