Fayetteville has always had the highest concentration of loveable weirdos per capita than any other city in Arkansas. It’s an undisputed fact that we do things a little differently here, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the people who keep track of these types of stats.
Sometimes there are giant get-togethers that celebrate what everyone has been creating and luckily for you, one of those is this Saturday, June 15 at Dark Hearts Community center, located at 3130 S. School Ave.
This show is the Misfit Market and it’s organized by longtime artist and maker Sara Farrar of Crimson And Conjure. The DIY and punk rock market starts at 2 p.m. and goes all the way until 10 p.m. It’s an all-ages event and is only $5 to attend. Children 12 and under get in for free.
Expect live music from TV Preacher, Gardensnakes, Chainsaw Lassy and Idle Valley.
There’s so much going on that you basically have to attend to know everything.
I talked to Sara about the show and here it goes:
Hi Sara. Before we talk about Misfit Market, can you give us a brief history of your shop Crimson and Conjure? Was there a moment when you knew it was time to start your own business?
In 2015-2016, I was going through a lot of major life changes. I had been on the vending/festival circuit with my jewelry, perfume, and other kinds of witchy and mystical wears for years and I knew that as I was evolving, my brand also needed to! I rebranded as Crimson and Conjure since it more encompassed my style, learned metalsmithing from one of my favorite humans Keely Wake (of Flora and Fauna) and here I am 8 years later, after traveling the country with my business, ready to bring some of that weirdness back to NWA.
Misfit Market looks awesome. Can you give us a rundown of all the vendors that will be there? How did you put them all together?
Thanks so much! I have been thinking about doing this market for years but was nervous. All the vendors have been hand-selected because of their unique nature and overall really cool vibes. You’ll find everything from taxidermy to custom jewelry, perfect vintage finds or bizarre home decor, and everything in between. We will also have flash tattoos going all day!
Here is our vendor lineup:
Trash Pandas Closet, Ohh La Lana, Loopy Ruby, Free Agent Trading Cards, Remains Co., Shauna Henry art, Candle Cult Company, Night Bloom creations, RaRo’s Custom Confections, Gagne, Clara’s Collective, FUDS, Punk, Truck Stop with Heady Chili Crunch, The Eclectic Witch, Blissfully Odd e, Crafty Zaeske, Terry Thielen with the Arkadia Retrocade Drink ‘n Draw crew, Shyla Duffy, Luna Adenae Vintage, May Day Tarot, The Boo-tique, Shae Shamanic, Spooky Nerd Creations, Amelie’s Anomalies, Exquisite Dark Curio and SourPuss Craft Lemonade.
This is a BYOB show that will have BBQ – always a crowd pleaser. Who’s serving the food and what can we expect? Is there anything you’re especially looking forward to?
We are super lucky to have partnered with Tony with South Side Smoke Shack food truck for delicious BBQ small business. He makes everything in-house and everything on that menu is an absolute crowd-pleaser. We also have a vendor with sweet treats and a hand-crafted lemonade stand. I’ll be sure to be seen stuffing my face from all three!
The music lineup is a great mix of new and old punk bands from Arkansas – was that by design? This feels like a lineup that would have played together at the Greek Theater or Clunk Music Hall back in the day.
I’m super glad that showed through because that’s definitely the feeling we wanted with this show. Everyone involved in helping me get this show together is all Fayetteville’s old punk scene finest in my heart! We all grew up at Clunk, have been friends for years and even some of my Layeffette House roommates will be in attendance helping out! But definitely hats off to Scott Parker in TV Preacher for booking the bands and curating that perfect mix.
I’ve yet to make it out to Dark Hearts Community center. How did you start working with them? How can people find out what’s happening there or become involved?
I’ve known Crystal Johnson, the founder of Dark Hearts for 20 years. It’s a great DIY event space, and I immediately reached out to her to secure the space when I knew the Misfit Market was a go!
Here is their Facebook page for more information.
Who are a few emerging DIY arts makers or vendors you recommend checking out?
That’s such a tough question because I really think all our vendors are so unique and cool, I mean, every booth has something really weird and fun. I will say, I always keep my eye out for the unassuming artist. Maybe one who doesn’t have a full shop or this is a first show, that’s who always ends up catching my attention. If you are here for the strange and unusual. We will have it!
As Fayetteville is growing, what has remained your favorite small spot in town?
I love Fayetteville and it’s been a pleasure growing up here and it is truly is so different but I am grateful I can still steal away to a few places that have stayed the same. I try to often take in a quiet moment in Dickson Street Bookstore, or a bite at Penguin Ed’s BNB, and always a cold bev at Maxine’s or Busters.
What are your plans for the summer?
Summer is my downtime from vending so I will be spending my free time going to every show I possibly can and supporting the local music scene. With a couple of out-of-town shows in the mix.
