By Fine Arts Coordinator Ryan Bell
It’s the end of May, Memorial Day is right around the corner, and you’re looking for something fun to do with the whole family. Why not come to Antioch Park, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and shop creations from local artists and crafters at Creek Chic, Turkey Creek Festival’s Arts and Craft Market?
For the past five years, JCPRD’s Fine Arts Department has been bringing more than 30 artists and crafters from the greater Kansas City area to Merriam to sell their art at Creek Chic. Each year our vendor list is different, so you’ll never know what treasures you’ll find. What’s consistent from year to year is that there’s a huge variety of things offered; from beaded jewelry and unique floor mats, to homemade candles, and funky houseplants, there’s something for everyone.
Part of Turkey Creek Festival, Creek Chic brings a lot of families who come to take pony rides, listen to music, see a fire truck up close, eat ice cream, and of course, stroll through Antioch Park. We even get visits from Storm Troopers and Mandalorians® throughout the day! This is very much a fun, family-oriented event for everyone.
Our vendor call for Creek Chic goes live Feb. 1 and closes Feb. 20, so we’re on the lookout for more amazing artists and crafters to participate. Even though the majority of our vendors are from the greater Kansas City area, we do accept vendors from other states. We’ve had vendors come from Oklahoma and Iowa before. Each vendor gets a booth that’s roughly 18’x15’, the size of two parking spaces, so there’s lots of room. Being outdoors all day after the months of cold weather is great, although it can get pretty windy! We’ve definitely started recommending vendors prepare for big gusts during the event.
Booth fees are very economical at $85/booth so we can help accommodate artists who are just starting out all the way up to some like Mandala Style and K&S Designs who’ve been with us every year. All vendors supply their own tents, tables and chairs, and all arts and crafts must be family friendly. Want to see what our vendors were selling in 2023? Our listings, complete with photographs are still up from last year for you to peruse on our website: JCPRD.com/creekchic. Already know that you want to apply? You can also find the application to be a vendor on our site. We’d love to have you at Creek Chic 2024!
More info about Turkey Creek Festival can be found at merriam.org/Government/Departments/Parks-Rec/Events/Turkey-Creek-Festival
