The small, concrete patio between Boca Fiesta and Palomino Pool Hall is a community hub of sorts: Mondays it houses crowds for karaoke night, and Thursdays it amasses teams for trivia competitions.
The Backyard @ Boca Fiesta & Palomino has been the host of holiday parties and the stage for fledgling comedians, and this year it will also serve as a venue for local artists to sell their work during the 33rd Annual Downtown Festival & Art Show.
Craftwerk Vol. II will take place Saturday in The Backyard, 232 SE First St., featuring an arts and crafts display and a raffle for prizes donated by local businesses.
This is the event’s second year, and organizer Danielle Kay said she couldn’t be more excited.
“Last festival was our first one,” she said. “And it went fabulous.”
The aim of the festival is to give local artists a chance to showcase and sell their work without having to compete with some of the more prominent artists at the Downtown Festival.
“There’s something to be said for getting to see who’s making things, and (The Backyard) is a perfect place to showcase it,” said Keri Smith, the bar manager at Boca Fiesta and co-organizer of the event.
Last year, 14 vendors sold a number of different items from homemade terrariums, which Kay said were some of the biggest sellers, to jewelry and knitted koozies.
There will be even more vendors this year, she said, including an artist who makes banjos out of cookie tins.
While she emphasized how important it is to support local talent, Kay also emphasized giving back to the community.
As part of the event, Gainesville businesses such as Satchel’s Pizza, Anthem Tattoo, Pop A Top Corner Store, Spin Cycle, Boca Fiesta and Palomino donate gift certificates for the raffle.
Tickets are $1 each, and winners are announced every hour, Smith explained.
Once the raffle is over, Kay said the money raised will be given to a local charity that she and Smith want to raise awareness for.
This year, proceeds gathered from the raffle will be donated to Interface Youth Program Shelters, which provide temporary living space and counseling services to troubled teens.
The raffle and craft fair are good opportunities to bring awareness to not only Gainesville artists, but also local charities that people don’t know about, Smith said.
“A lot of people in town don’t know that (Interface) exists,” Kay said, “that there’s a place for teens to go.”
The raffle and art sale are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Boca Fiesta will open early for the festival and have happy hour all day at the bar. There will be no cover.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 11/6/2014]
