By Dianna LaTerra and Elena Marsh
Winston Junction Market hosted its largest art and craft market to date last weekend with over 60 creators pitching their tents in a lot at 901 N Trade Street to sell everything from soap to furniture.
The market was a masked and socially distanced event that began at 11 a.m. and ran until 4 p.m. Music played over the speakers as people mingled with vendors and talked about the origins of products. The smell of Korean barbecue drifting through the air from the Urban Street Grill food truck.
The event is free to attend for all five hours. Turnout for the market is measured on the Winston Junction Market Facebook page. Each post boasts anywhere from 700 to 900 people pledging their attendance and interest. Interest for past markets have been gauged on the Facebook event page and so far turnout ranges from 700 people to 900 people.
Winston Junction Market describes itself as an open concept market that offers events for artist and traditional farmers market style sales. It has functioned since March 30, 2019. With the grand opening of the market only taking place about three years ago, it has cemented itself in the downtown community.
The market is run by Catbird Art and Events which has been serving the Winston-Salem community for six years. Kristen Schollander, the coordinator of Catbird, has made it her mission to partner with local businesses to bring arts and crafts to the community.
“We have been working in the Winston Junction Market for two years twice a month,” says Schollander. “A lot of events last year were canceled, but we leave six feet between each booth, require masks, and some booths keep hand sanitizer on them.”
Maddie Flowers is the owner and operator of L’Avenue Boutique, an online store which sells French and European inspired clothing and accessories.
Steve Jones of S. B. Jones Photography has been coming to popup events for five years. He has spent almost a decade of his life taking pictures across the country including Arizona and North Carolina.
John Zill is the plant manager at US Metal Crafters, a business specializing in laser cutting, roll forming, and metal stamping. Zill also works as a craftsman at MIXXER Makerspace.
The next market will be held on May 15 on 901 N Trade Street. It will run from 11 am to 4 pm and catering will be from the Que Viva food truck.
