Started in 1987, and held in locations as diverse as Heath Street and even Homer High School, the Homer Council on the Arts Street Faire once again is held at its current location on Hazel Avenue, offering a day of arts and crafts vendors, food booths, activities and music. Now in its fourth year at its new spot, the festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the venue between Safeway and the Homer Public Library.
Its original intent shows the progress Homer has made in offering more venues for artists. When the Street Faire first started, Homer didn’t have a summer, open-air Farmers’ Market, where crafts makers could sell work.
“Having an outdoor, summer fair for Homer artists and vendors was the original idea,” said Denise Jantz, HCOA Street Faire coordinator.
With the Homer Farmers’ Market open Wednesdays and Saturdays through the summer, the HCOA Street Faire has gone from being the instigator of a new venue to a good-time, rain-or-shine, open air festival with a broader purpose — “to support our local creative economy and offer a summer community event,” Jantz said.
This year’s Street Faire offers more than 30 booths, including the Homer Council on the Arts own, where tickets for Quixotic go on sale. HCOA also has a tie-dye booth, where kids and adults for a fee can tie-dye their own original wearable art. Kachemak Kids also has children’s activities at its booth, including bubble blowing, sidewalk chalk art and a fish pond.
Starting at 10:15 a.m., nine musical acts play throughout the day with tunes ranging from guitar and vocals to marimba and ukuleles.
Although qualifications are not as strict as with the Nutcracker Faire, HCOA’s winter arts and crafts showcase, most of the vendors sell original arts and craft, much of it locally made.
“There is a lot of homemade stuff,” Jantz said.
Some craft makers will be doing demonstrations, such as Beth Carroll and Cindy Argus with spinning wheel demonstrations.
Parking is limited at the East Hazel Avenue and Poopdeck Street ends of the Street Faire. HCOA encourages people to carpool, with the best parking on Waddell Way across from the post office. Do not park at the post office and Wells Fargo. Parking is available after 2 p.m. at First National Bank. HCOA also asks that people respect parking at private businesses, including the Safeway lot.
Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.
Homer Street Faire
When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday, July 20
Where: Hazel Avenue
behind Safeway
Admission: Free
What: More than 30 vendors, including crafts, nonprofit organizations, food and activity booths with Kachemak Kids and Homer Council on the Arts
Parking:
-Waddell Way (empty lot next to the post office); look for signs
-First National bank after 2 p.m.
-Limited parking on East Hazel Avenue and Poopdeck Street
-Handicap parking where marked.
-No parking at Wells Fargo Bank, the U.S. Post Office and the Homer Public Library
-Please respect open businesses, including Safeway.
-Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
Live music:
10:15 a.m.
Ivan Wolfe
11 a.m.
Ukulele Group
Noon
Shamwari marimba
1:30 p.m.
Michael Murray
2 p.m.
Jesse Smith
2:55 p.m.
Sharon Friesen Schulz and Richard Koskovich
3:30 p.m.
Lee Carpenter
4:25 p.m.
Kevin Duff
Lindianne Sarno performs at last year’s fair.-Photo by Michael Armstrong, Homer News
