Patchwork Show Modern Makers Festival returns to Orange County

Patchwork Show Modern Makers Festival returns to Orange County on June 26 and 27.

Through the free outdoor event, participants can view and purchase handmade goods such as clothing, handbags, accessories, jewelry, art and apothecary items from independent artists and crafters. The featured artisans, the majority of which are based in O.C., were chosen through a jury process.

There will also be several DIY craft stations and Patchwork Junior, which is dedicated to artisans who are under the age of 18.

The festival started in Santa Ana with 25 vendors in 2007 and grew to a multicity festival with more than 100 vendors at each event. This year the festival will also make its way to Santa Ana, Long Beach, Oakland and Ventura in dates to be announced at a later time.

Local artisan demonstrates cross stitching at her booth.

(Photo Courtesy Dear Handmade Life)

Patchwork is produced by Dear Handmade Life, an Orange-based business that brings together creatives and small business owners through events and education. In addition to the festival, Dear Handmade Life also hosts a podcast, blog and the Craftcation Conference.

“COVID has been rough on creatives,” Nicole Stevenson, Dear Handmade Life CEO, said. “Many of them were already living on a tight budget and relied on in-person craft shows or wholesale sales to local small shops for the bulk of their revenue and then COVID closed both of those for a while. But creatives are resourceful, and many took it as an opportunity to grow their online businesses and focused on building their website or online platform (like Etsy) sales. Even though craft shows are coming back and people are shopping in person again, I think it will be a while before those things are as profitable as they were pre-COVID so it’s great that now these makers have built up their online sales and added a new strong income stream.”

Festival organizers are planning to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines such as social distancing, mandatory mask wearing, no food, capacity guidelines and sanitizing stations.

If you go

What: Patchwork Show Modern Makers Festival
Where: 245 El Camino Real, Tustin
When: June 26 to 27, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Info: dearhandmadelife.com/patchwork-show

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