Over 200 of Long Beach’s local artisans and makers will be selling handcrafted items and teaching do-it-yourself (DIY) crafts at the 16th annual Patchwork Festival in the Marine Stadium parking lot on Nov. 13.
The festival celebrates the creativity of local artists and artisans by connecting residents directly to some of Long Beach’s hidden talents, including 15 junior vendors under the age of 18. Long Beach is the second city on Dear Handmade Life’s five-city tour across California and the largest festival in the slew.
“We activate the community by getting these folks who make their livelihood by doing a small craft and sharing their story a little bit with the community,” said Nicole Spaulding, operations director for the Patchwork Festival. “Also by letting the community members get their hands on something fun and small to make and take [home] at the event so it also kind of feels like a modern festival.”
Along with the 200 plus artists who will be selling their items, there will be 17 different arts and crafts booths run by local vendors. Residents will get the chance to create holiday gift tags, succulent planters, stick and yarn woven art, children’s hair bows, henna creations, cardboard ornaments, crystal wish bottles and more.
Attendees will also be able to participate in a community chalkboard mural, where anyone is invited to add their own art throughout the event. All of the DIY booths will be offered for free, as Spaulding explained the company’s belief that “communities shouldn’t be charged to support local makers.”
The festival is pet-friendly and will offer free biking valet. There will be nine food trucks, mostly local, offering “a good mix of sweet and savory” options. Los Angeles-based rock duo Francis Retronome will be performing at the festival from noon to 1 p.m.
Vendor applications began months in advance, with the option for each vendor to send pictures of their booth setup, items they plan to sell, price ranges and any ideas for DIY crafts they would like to teach. Applicants were vetted by a jury made up of Dear Handmade Life’s employees and selected to offer residents a mix of “diehard local Long Beach vendors” and new, undiscovered artists.
“Often those small business owners are leaving behind stability and a certain amount of income that they can be guaranteed by having a job and I think our show really gives a lot of those vendors confidence and really makes it worth that risk.”
Nicole Spaulding, executive director for Patchwork Festivals
There is no qualification for how long a vendor has been creating in order to enter the festival.
“I think one of the most important things that our Long Beach festival does is build community,” Spaulding said. “When you know who made the clothing you’re wearing, if you know who made that cool piece of art on your wall, if you know their stories, then you also know their needs and also understand their perspectives. And it creates this rich tapestry of understanding and empathy.”
The Long Beach show also boasts the largest roster for junior makers. The 15 young creators will have their own section at the festival where they will be able to sell items, connect with older vendors, network with one another and create a name for themselves.
Junior vendors were able to enter the festival for a $20 fee, minimizing barriers to participation.
“This company was founded as a way to really encourage and create a space for emerging makers, so we purposefully keep our booth fees really low because we really want to support and encourage creative makers that are just maybe starting out,” Spaulding said. “Essentially it is to encourage and create a safe space for kids to be able to express themselves creatively.”
A mother and her daughter admire art from a local vendor at the annual Patchwork Festival. (Courtesy of Dear Handmade Life) 
A vendor talks to potential customers at the 15th annual Patchwork Festival. (Courtesy of Dear Handmade Life) 
Crowds make their way through rows of local vendors at the annual Patchwork Festival. (Courtesy of Dear Handmade Life) 
A sign welcoming residents to the annual Patchwork Festival stands in front of crowds. (Courtesy of Dear Handmade Life)
Dear Handmade Life also produces a five-day conference, Craftcation, every April in Ventura, California. Spaulding called it “a more intense experience,” where workshops focusing on goal-setting, price setting, creativity, wellness and more are offered.
This year’s conference is taking place from April 19-23 and already has over 50 creatives leading workshops. Early bird registration is open with tickets starting out at $598.
Dear Handmade Life has a members-only community mentorship program for creative business owners who can learn tips on building their brand and setting goals for themselves from other professionals.
The company offers online workshops through their website and often shares tips for creative business owners through their Instagram @dearhandmadelife.
For those unable to attend the Patchwork Festival on Nov. 13, the second round of festivals will take place in the spring, where two new locations will be added to the tour.
“The thing I’m always most excited about is watching creative makers and vendors interact with the local community and seeing them get excited,” Spaulding said. “Often those small business owners are leaving behind stability and a certain amount of income that they can be guaranteed by having a job and I think our show really gives a lot of those vendors confidence and really makes it worth that risk.”
The Long Beach Patchwork Festival will take place at the Marine Stadium parking lot at 490 Bay Shore Ave. on Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
