Mission Bazaar

Total bummer. I went to the Bazaar Bizarre in Golden Gate Park a week before this event and, having caught the seasonal craft fair bug, was excited to attend this one even though the price of admission was $ 5 (compared to $ 1 for the BB event). I was really disappointed to arrive at Mission Bazaar at around 10:10 a.m. to find that it was not yet open. It was supposed to open at 10, and since I had things to do that morning I wanted to get there early. At around 10:15 someone opened the doors, saying, «Sorry, some of the vendors are not done setting up but we will let you in anyway.» Some? Try most! I’m not sure who’s to blame for that, but I was in and out in 10 minutes since most of the tables were still being put together. Also, the lighting was TERRIBLE. I know this building has not been open for public use in some time, but they had one or two overhead lights and the rest of the light streamed in from a window, which cast terrible shadows and made it tough to view a lot of the merchandise.
I really contemplated asking for my money back. I visited two tables that were worthwhile, but the rest just weren’t. I hope the organizers will read some of the reviews and tighten things up next year… maybe visit the Bazaar Bizarre for inspiration, because THAT was a great, well-​run event.

Lost the last star due to last~minute warning that this was happening, less impressed with actual vendor turnout… wasn’t this supposed to be bigger? Hence all the empty space.
Super stoked to see what happens with this event in December… Didn’t get to see much since I was way too busy vending {Thanks, Berna ‘diva la glam’~ your take on the glovies has me blushing}.
Trade~show sized, with the uniqueness, friendliness & fun of trunk show phenomena… feels something like an alien marketplace. I made off with personalized perfect finds, and a lot of interesting connections… really bargain entrance fee for all the incredible entertainment and art. Food left something to be desired {little variety}, but I can’t complain, was impressed with options offered {Cheaper tasty vegan, $ 1.00 deposit on wooden bowls instead of plastic or styrofoam platters?}.
Save up some $$$ and drop by when this happens again! With all the raw talent, diverse aesthetic, and out~of~this world amazingly unique techniques employed in these artisans crafts, you don’t want to miss out!

I’m going to be representing the designers in this review. I was a vendor at Mission Bazaar, and while I completely agree with the «so much unfulfilled potential» thing, I also have to point out that the potential for the Armory is somewhat astronomical, and it’d be really difficult to fulfill it during the first public event in 30+ years.
The group that organized the event (the same people who organize the wonderful Edward Gorey Edwardian Ball every year) did an amazing job pulling together a large network of designers, singers, dancers, and assorted creative crazies for an extremely ambitious two-​day festival. Everything was super well organized, and most needs and/​or problems were accounted for in advance. I do a crazy amount of shows (usually 2 a month, but more during the summer and Christmas time) and I have to say that this was one of the more pleasant ones to be at. I heard pretty much the same from the other designers who took part in the show. What this means for the average show-​goer: the December event is going to be AMAZING. Word of mouth has gotten around, so you can be sure that the drill yard (which is, by the way, the size of a football field. Try filling that with ANYTHING. It’s hard) will be crowded with your favorite local designers.
So if you didn’t get a chance to make it to this inaugural show, be sure to check out the December event (the weekend of the 6^th and 7^th), and if you did make it and were underwhelmed, be doubly sure to come back in December.

So much potential… but there weren’t as many vendors as there could have been, which made it easy to spin through there in an hour or so. Hopefully, their next event in December will bring a much larger following, by vendors and shoppers alike.
I did manage to score a couple of rad t-​shirts from Fiftyseven-​Thirtythree, some stationery from Lizard Press, and these frilly gloves from Cotton Candy that are so over the top girly, I may as well be wearing my vagina outside of my clothing.