It was a great way to kick off the holiday season. I love that there was an outdoor craft show at Washington Park at the same time, so I got a "two-fer." I shopped there for the traditional arts and crafts gifts, then went into the side door of Music Hall (yes, at you're looking at it, the fair can only be accessed through the left-hand side door of music hall) for unique artist-made crafts. I didn't buy much -- just a silk-screened t-shirt and some tasty Jalapeno jelly -- it was the perusing itself, and talking directly to the artists that was the joy of the season. And I had some great, animated conversations with the artists themselves, who were helpful and excited to talk about their work. Yes, these are hand-made specialty items, so the price was high. But it is going directly to the artists, so it is worth it. read more

My first time attending the Crafty Supermarket, and it did not dissapoint. The space is beautiful and uplifting - warm, inviting, roomy, and festive. The booths were very high-end, offering great design and well-made products. Eli's BBQ was there, along with a bar, coffee stand, and gelto. It wasn't very crowded when we went, so take that for what it is. YMMV. Be prepared to spend some serious cash, also. I didn't buy many things, but the bill was high. I like supporting artists and designers, so I don't mind, but it certainly isn't a budget shopping experience. read more

A huge, free holiday market in music hall ballroom. This is the place to get your holiday shopping started. Quality artists and very fair prices. There are several craft tables for children. read more

Wow! This place was jam packed! I mean SUPER CROWDED! My mom and I arrived about 5 minutes before they opened for business and the line to get in was all the way down the block! Once inside, there were certain isles where we could barely move. You basically have to accept that you will only ever be able to move with the flow. There's a great selection, though! So many local artists selling their wares - soaps and beauty products, OH t-shirts and ornaments, hand-made toys and much more! I'm particularly excited about my shampoo bars I got! I can't wait to use them!! read more

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I went to this yesterday on a whim. I left excited for all the goodies I picked up! In my search for deals for Small Business Saturday, I heard about this craft show. I've been to a number of craft shows, but this was nothing like any I had been to before. I told friends after how do many different types of people attended. That's when you know there is something for everyone. There was a wide selection of cards and prints, jewelry, and locally themed items. Some of my favorites were the video game themed cutting board, mother board refurbished jewelry, and leather made bracelets. There were also pop art magnets, recycled crayons, paintings, and beard care kits. I wish I could have stayed longer! read more

Crafty Supermarket - Triforce and Fibonacci sequence cutting boards - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This event was fantastic! I heard about it through Yelp and living a leisurely 1.5-mile walk from the Cultural Arts Center, I knew I had to attend. Upon arrival, there were some crazy costumed... things... at the entrance, not too far from the food trucks serving hungry visitors. I was given a program and let loose to roam the first level of the Cultural Arts Center. Live music a-blarin', I got a hell of an eyeful of awesome local artistry. I didn't have money to spend, but I did speak with a lot of the vendors and checked out a lot of the things I'd have bought if I wasn't on a budget! Next year I will save up for a crazy-cool necklace or "monster purse" or grenade-shaped bar of soap (or maybe all three!). Definitely check out this event the next time it's held! read more

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This is the second year I've been to the Crafty Supermarket. It was a good collection and variety of local (tri-state for the most part it seemed) artists and creators. I always like to see what people are making; as a fan of Etsy it's nice to see these items in person. When we first arrived it was a bit crowded, and slightly hungry, made a good decision to eat first and see if things thinned out. It was a great decision because Cafe de Wheels filled my belly (Cincinnati Cuban doesn't disappoint) and indeed, things thinned out. Not in a ghost town way, but just less moving 2 mph at every table. Though I had hoped to get some Christmas shopping done, I was more successful in purchasing a shirt and head band for myself, and picking up a few small gifts for others. I'm always happy to spend a little extra money for things that are homemade, but they have to fit the bill for the individuals I'm shopping for and today I was feeling slightly uninspired. It may have been me, it may be the denial of proximity of Christmas, or my general desire to just enjoy the show. Either way, it was successful, if not super productive. We explored the Arts Center a bit in search of a bathroom and it was adorable. Very much a throwback to a school that, though I didn't go to, seems iconic with it's expanse of chalkboards, sewing machines, and radiators. That was the cherry on the sundae for me. Overall, I was (again) impressed with the quality of the vendors, the layout of the event (good move on moving the food outside), and the facility. read more

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I usually turn the other way when the word "craft" is mentioned, as thoughts of crocheted items and girly stuff fill my thoughts. Alas, the Crafty Supermarket is about as cool as it gets when it comes to unique and reasonably priced craft items for both women AND men. I mean, I saw a tshirt where a girl was kicking a rainbow vomiting unicorn in the throat! Ha ha. I believe this was the first year they had it at the Music Hall ballroom, and it was a great space for the 80+ vendors to showcase their products ranging from wall clocks made from old video game cartridges to hand made jewelery, and everything in between. There was plenty of items with a local twist to them, I love all the Ohio/Cincinnati tshirts and prints. If you are looking for a cool gift that person that has everything, check out this event. The next one is April 26, 2014 according to their site: http://craftysupermarket.wordpress.com/ read more

Crafty Supermarket is one of my favorite twice-yearly shopping experiences in the city. The organizers are quite crafty themselves, for scheduling these right before Mother's Day and just before the winter holidays. I absolutely love arts and crafts and hand-made gifts, and every event I have gone to seems to be better than the one before it. The more the word gets out about Crafty Supermarket, the more crowded it is, which can be overwhelming. That can easily be remedied by escaping to the outside to enjoy one of the food vendors. I have found that in the months between these events, I have to save up for pocket money to spend on the awesome hand-crafted items that the vendors have for sale. Some of the vendors are a bit on the pricey side for me, but many of them are quite affordable, and have unique items that you won't find all in one room (that is not the virtual space of etsy, that is, but here you save on shipping costs). Parking is kind of a pain in the area surrounding the Clifton Cultural Arts Center (where these events are held), but the walk probably won't be more than a block or two, at peak crowded times. Also, I love that they have a DJ to spin awesome tunes for the crowd. read more

The Crafty Supermarket is the place to buy handmade gifts. Full disclosure, I have vended at this event. However, I am also a shopper. I always find unique, high quality, handmade gifts when I'm here. The atmosphere is inviting and the makers are top notch. The venue, Music Hall, is gorgeous and adds to the event. I highly recommend this show. Side note: crowds tend to die down a bit after 3:00 if you'd like a less busy atmosphere. read more

My favorite craft show in the area to vend at and to shop at! They always have a large variety of items for yourself or for gifting

The fall/holiday Crafty Supermarket did not disappoint! This year, it was held at Music Hall and the space and vendors were all fabulous! It definitely felt less crowded than when it was at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center, though that was a wonderful venue as well. It didn't hurt that there was a bar where my husband could grab a beer to help the browsing. Such a wonderful way to support local/home business and nab some unique gifts. read more

Exceptional. This is Cincinnati, remember. I was happy to see so many local or nearly local artistic and crafty types. The selection of goods was nice, if perhaps not amazing. As packed as this event was, I would have liked to see twice the booths. I don't know the cost of a booth, but if they could draw twice the tables by charging less, I think it would be a good choice. The food selection was impressive. I was heartened to see the cross promotion at the event. I was also happy to hear that some local stores were planning to carry goods from the sellers after the show. As a side note, if you like the kind of people who support local artists, then this is the event to attend to meet like minded people. I didn't know Cincinnati had it in her and was quite happy that she did. read more

I've been to all three Crafty Supermarkets so far, and I have to say: this winter's was far and away the best. I was amazed at how much this event has grown even since last time! Dojo Gelato was in attendance, as were representatives from Picnic & Pantry, selling stew and other awesome lunch options. This is itself makes the event so much more accessible and compelling. I've felt in the past that it was very hard to walk in and buy something-- the gifts were too esoteric (and often too expensive) to walk out with an armload. This time around, I felt that there was a huge range of offerings that would fit many different styles. Jewelry, papercraft, clothing, vintage items, you name it. There were plenty of things I couldn't afford but I had no problem finding a handful of gifts that my family and friends are going to love. We were there around 3pm, and the place was packed wall to wall. Ben Davis was laying down the music and every vendor seemed to be doing brisk business. What a fantastic holiday-prep event! read more

Love Crafty Supermarket! I'm usually a vendor and have vended at many shows around the Midwest. Crafty is always one of the best organized, fun, and really brings in the people. The line to get in starts early because there's 100 swag bags to give away. There's a DJ. And there is always no shortage of food from local restaurants and food trucks. It makes for a nice day out in Clifton. There's usually a mix of standard and popular Cincy businesses and new regional artists. I might be a vendor but I never get out of there without buying something...or 5 somethings. read more

You will not find more unique and special gifts anywhere else in the city! The variety of local items appeal to all ages and tastes. The people are genuine and great to talk with about their creations. The only downside to this holiday market is that it is very popular and therefore incredibly crowded. Leave the stroller and your favorite oversized bag at home and you'll be fine. read more

Have gone in the past as well, but was a bit disappointed this year. The lay out and crowd, was a bit overwhelming. Layout doesn't allow for much more that a single file flow at each vendor, so you spend a lot of time waiting to shop:view. There really is no great place to 'wait' without being being in someone's way. I have a child and have been a mom with a stroller, but this just a space that's conducive. I know it would be hard to limit to only those with a special need for a stroller...but some better thought needs to be put into allowing them inside. Also felt vendors were a bit less diverse, for example a bunch of paper crafting... Made a few purchases, as this is always a great spot for holiday purchases. Would have made more if it want an uncomfortable shopping experience. read more

Crafty Supermarket - Beautiful handmade necklace, awesome value $25! - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This past weekend marked the 4th birthday of Crafty Supermarket, the eclectic "indie" craft show that finds home in Music Hall, one of Cincinnati's most illustrious and most notorious architectural gems. That particular tidbit shocked me, as I'd never heard so much as a rumbling about this event, and just so happened to be perusing Facebook the morning of when Over-the-Rhine's page posted about it. I was immediately intrigued--changing my plans from stopping by Findlay Market to instead hitting up what could be a fantastic place to buy Christmas gifts. And--don't be silly--stuff for me, too. The rundown: 1) More than 50 vendors were set up at Crafty Supermarket, providing a wonderful, vast selection of handcrafted goods. In addition to these vendors, there were food trucks parked out front and Dojo Gelato situated among the vendors indoors. 2) I had gelato for lunch ... because grown-up. 3) A DJ provided a pretty great soundtrack to my shopping experience. 4) The only negative was it was PACKED. Then again, that's only a negative for me, as that's wonderful for the vendors. The place opened at 11am and when I got there around 11:45, it was overflowing with shoppers. It was pretty impressive. 5) Despite the huge number of people in attendance, parking wasn't an issue. There were still plenty of spots left in the Washington Park garage when I got there. 6) I got to knock out some Christmas shopping while obtaining ideas (and business cards) for additional gifts. I even got a couple of things for myself, including a brass Ohio necklace from Wholly Crafts that I am kind of obsessed with. 7) If you like things shaped like the state of Ohio, this place is absolutely for you. Music Hall is positively gorgeous inside and out. The capability to take in the wonderful architecture and interior design, while enjoying great food, good music, and fantastic hand-crafted goods, provided an unparalleled craft show experience. People like to say that Cincinnati is a couple of years behind the times. I think the real issue is that the people of Cincinnati are a few years late catching on to everything. I can't believe three years had passed without so much as knowing about this. I will be back in the future. (Crafty Supermarket takes place twice a year--November and April--at Music Hall.) read more

A really fun event. As my mom said "It's like an Etsy mall!" My mom is newly obsessed with Etsy, so I thought this would be a good thing to take her to. We really enjoyed it, but felt like there wasn't a very big variety of goods- lots of the same silver jewelry over and over. There were a few standouts- 1337motif's woodworked pixel designs were brilliantly crafted and funny. Anne Harrill's jewelry line Oceanne was special, beautiful, and priced correctly. There was a line 3 people deep around her booth! We also bought perfume from Aromi beauty- each perfume was unique and pleasant. read more

Crafty Supermarket, while an admittedly meh name, IS a terrific place to get wonderful stuff. If you' re an Etsy fan or love Ready Made, then this is the place to be. The vendors are primarily from the mid-west. I believe the show is juried, so the caliber is high. Items range from handmade shoes to jewelry to stuff for the table. Prices are very good. Now held at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center there's lots of room to browse, chat with artists and take home some cool craft. read more

Awesome local craft fair. Wide assortment of items and price ranges. Took me less than an hour to get through the whole thing... next year, fill the second floor with more vendors, and I'll probably spend even more money than I did this time around. :) read more

The event at Music Hall was way too crowded... a fire hazard, in my opinion. I was excited to bring 2 friends to the event (I've been to others in the Clifton location) but all we did was work our way (barely) through the crowd and leave. Strollers, wall to wall people, could not even get close to a vendor along the way. Never again in this venue. read more