City kicks off 2nd annual So Bazaar art market

Published 9:31 am Friday, August 14, 2015

Thursday kicked off the City of Redmond’s second annual So Bazaar art market.

It was the first in a series of three free events this month, with the remaining So Bazaar events on Aug. 20 and 27.

Joshua Heim, cultural arts administrator for the city, said they piloted the event last year as a night market and about 5,000 people attended. This time around, they are starting things earlier at noon and the market will last till 10 p.m. each night.

Heim said the idea to extend So Bazaar came from Northwest Art Alliance, one their partners for this year’s events.

So Bazaar will be located along the Redmond Central Connector (RCC) between 161st Avenue Northeast and Leary Way Northeast in downtown.

Heim said they are building on what people enjoyed about last year — doubling the number of artists in the marketplace.

There will be 25 local artists and artisans selling their wares, such as jewelry, woodwork, metalwork, ceramics, fiber art and soaps. One of the focuses of this year’s So Bazaar was to make the market experience successful, Heim said, who added that the city also received feedback from vendors saying they wanted the market to open at noon.

Rachel Van Winkle, events and marketing administrator for the City of Redmond, said the highlight of the events are the performances at night. According to the So Bazaar website, this year’s featured artists include Debi Chatterjee Duo, DE CAJóN, DJ Riz, Gansango Music and Dance Company, Janet Zweig, John Fleming, Valse Café Orchestra and Lucia Neare.

Heim said Neare will be giving a two-part performance on Aug. 20 and 27. She is the city’s artist in residence and these performances — entitled “Dream for Redmond” I and II — will be like a farewell to Redmond.

“We’re really wrapping up her time here,” Heim said about Neare.

He added that for him, Neare’s performances are what he is looking forward to the most with So Bazaar.

For Van Winkle, who is a Redmond resident, she said she is looking forward to the great art and meeting and interacting with her neighbors in town.

In addition to the featured artists, there will be a Night Nosh featuring food trucks, which will run from 4-9:30 p.m. each night. And just as organizers have doubled the number of artists this year, Heim said they have also doubled the number of food trucks.

“Every night (last year), the food trucks sold out,” Heim said.

There will be different food trucks each night, though some will be at So Bazaar for more than one night. This year’s Night Nosh lineup includes Athena’s Food Truck, Peasant Food Manifesto, Seattle Pops, People of the Chubbs and Bumbu Truck.

There will also be a Sip Bazaar underneath the “Signals” art installation. From noon to 1:30 p.m., it will be for all ages, featuring a milk bar by Smith Brothers one day and Italian sodas from Trader Joe’s.

Beginning at 4 p.m., the Sip Bazaar will be 21 and older and feature beer, wine and signature cocktails.