I've been to two UCU events this year: one at Magneson Park and the one downtown. Both have been off the charts phenomenal. The quality of vendors is stellar, the staff friendly hand helpful, and the preview night was a great way to beat the crowds. This introvert appreciated a time not being jostled and overstimulated by too many folks. I got some holiday shopping done and enjoyed a lively night out with friends. The only suggestion I can offer is to bring your patience if you plan to eat at one of the food trucks. The wait is LENGTHY. read more

Really Fun Free Crafts Show. I found some humorous postcards of Animated Animals at Nat'l Parks by artist, Factory 43. www.factory43.com. He had Tshirts for sale and I bought a sticker. Mex. Tamales and expensive $19 Sushi rolls were selling there too. There were not much Food tasting. But I tasted tiny caramels, Hazelnut coconut Spread ($12) which you can buy at Whole Foods and Fred Meyers. The leather purses and goods were expensive but interesting. There were hand forged knives there and small cedar wooden cutting boards. At the door, they were asking for $1 donation for admission to Exhibition Hall. read more

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Urban Craft Uprising is a twice a year event - offering locally made crafts, arts, and wonderful hand crafted foods. I overheard one vendor say she loves the Seattle area, where people practically hoard handmade goods. Ding it, she's right! I love this stuff! The good thing about this gathering is that both the vendors and the attendees are more sophisticated. The vendors share more openly on their techniques; the food vendors have food samples readily available. Both approaches make the buy-sell relationship a more enjoyable process. I think this is my second time going to the UCU. I found a few booths that I'm familiar with from street fairs but also some new ones; see photos. Butts on Things - These hilarious artwork would be a great pick-me-up to put a smile on anyone's face. And they're not obscene either, just cute. Pop Candy Co - Hand crafted toffee with some fresh flavors. Pistachio - smoked and sea salted. Rosemary Almond. With samples, these are fantastic! Bow Hill Blueberries - Blueberries in all forms - dried, sauce, jam, juices. They taste fantastic!! They are also a u-pick farm. Definitely looking forward to future shows and hope to see more unique sellers. read more

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They change fees every time you try and book. They do not guarantee a booth with this fee. They also like to change quarterly fees too. I've alone paid over $200 without a single booking. They are not for small artist. You can find plenty of local markets without pocket gouging yourself. This summer I've talked with several other vendors who had the same thing happen to them. They also paid for multiple fees without getting a single booth booked. I also learned someone who used to work on the admin side and they said they wouldn't recommend vending thru them. Save your hard earned money, and don't waste your money. read more

The market was filled with high-quality vendors offering a diverse selection of handmade goods. I got holiday presents for most of the people on my list, from a large waterproof bag to Seattle-themed notepads and prints. I'm only giving four stars because I felt that the preview night was overcrowded, despite it being a limited ticketed event. On preview night I was one of the first people in the door. However, within just half an hour or so the place was packed, which made it hot and difficult to maneuver I like to talk to the makers, but at times there were so many people I had to wait 10 minutes just to get a business card! Next year, I'll just go on a free day. read more

I love this event! Urban Craft Uprising is a curated craft show, inviting skilled artists, crafters and makers from around the country to sell their neat stuff. Seriously, there are sellers travelling in from other states to participate in this event! The sellers at this event are pro-level makers of handmade goods, and the displays are often stunning. It's busy, it's crowded, and it's exciting. The crowds tend to drop later in the day. There is a coat check by the door, so take advantage of that. There are now food trucks, which was a really awesome new service to include. You can cruise their website in advance to become familiar with the sellers and their creations You can also subscribe to an email list to learn about the sellers, or follow the Instagram account, @urbancraftuprising. read more

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This was my second UCU event this year and my first year of attendance! The winter event was much more crowded with buyers than the summer event which prompted my one less star. It was seriously crowded and I felt myself wanting to rush through the booths because literally there was no place to stand but to move forward. As my previous review, great selection of artists with unique funky flair, which is a must for my shopping bucks! I was glad to see some of the summer vendors at the winter show too! This is a must for those addicted to local, handmade, funky bits of art! read more

Urban Craft Uprising is such a great event to find something special for yourself, family or friends! Its really neat seeing all the skilled artists, crafters and makers showcase their stuff! So much talent! I wish I had a creative handcraft skill...I've found many unique gifts through the years of attending! I'm looking forward to the next one! :) As Urban Craft Uprising gets more popular every year.. expect to be crowded at times! read more

I have been attending this show as a customer for 4 years now and was excited to attend last weekend. However, this summer show was just awful compared to the previous shows I have been to! There was very little variety with at least 10 vendors selling clothes (including handmade and ones just screenprinted on), various jewelry vendors, bag people, printed items, macrame (3 vendors!), and so many bath goods (candles, soaps, etc). There are SO MANY different handmade goods and it seemed limited to these few categories. I apparently made the grievous error of nicely emailing them my thoughts--normally I leave with a bagful of goods and only found an enamel pin I liked this time--and got the most rude and curt response back. "Kristen" said: We can't please everyone.  We also can't force people to apply.  Our vendors were more than pleased by the end and we had many compliments that they found this show, in particular, to be the best one yet.  Sorry you were unimpressed.  It's a hard job and we do our best. With the amount of cheering and happiness by the end, I think we did pretty well.  Thanks for your feedback  All I have to say is don't break your arm patting yourself on the back! For a company that rejects hundreds of vendors every year, you would think they could take constructive criticism a little bit better. With this kind of attitude, I can't say I will return again. read more

You know when you go to a craft show, and you end up feeling bad because most of the stuff there is like the 'pretties' that your grandma used to make, and you passed by table after table without even stopping? Or you walk around thinking, "I could do that...and that...I've seen that done before..."? This is not that kind of craft fair. In fact, you have to come with sharp elbows so that you can make your way through the crowds milling around each and every booth. And each and every booth is worth all that close-body-contact-with-strangers. There are too many different genres of crafts there to list, but rest assured there is something for everyone. I scored a Christmas gift for Sissy there (which I won't describe in detail in case she reads this) for very reasonable price. Trust me on this. I thought the girl was joking at first, because I would have expected it to cost twice what it did. I love buying hand-made crafts for gifts, especially from local artists. If you missed it this year, keep your ears open next winter and GO! And if you get there early, they give swag bags to the first 200-ish in line! read more

Urban Craft Uprising 2008 was off the hook! Congrats to all of the artists who shared their amazing work with Seattle this weekend. I drooled all over the jewelry, stocked up on baby and kid gifts for my friends' rug rats, and snagged a number of business cards to contact artists when I need more gifts in the future. What a great time! read more

YAY! I love UCU! It's great, the vendors are awesome and the setup is perfect. It's really nice to walk into a crafty type fair like this and know that you can walk from vendor to vendor and not miss a single one because of the poor setup. It's really worth the drive, walk, or bus ride to check this out. Anyways, the vendors are chosen perfectly for an "urban" type venue, they pick only the best modern types of vendors and artists to display they're goods here. Lovely Lovely! I got a majority of my xmas presents here and all the recievers enjoyed them immensely... I'll keep coming back! read more

This is not Aunt Edna's quilting club craft fair. Well, unless your aunt Edna makes pasties, or toy sasquatches clutching eskimo heads, or felt cookies, or rad glass bead jewelry, or sassy hair clips, or belts made out of bike tires. If shopping malls were like this, I might actually set foot in one from time to time. There was so much amazing stuff that I spent all my money by the time I got halfway through the second aisle. Mental note to self: next time do 1 lap in each direction, THEN go to the ATM and come back ready to spend! I found plenty of perfect gifts for people on my list, but the terrible thing is that I wanted just about everything for myself! I left thinking I either need to get a ton more friends to buy this for so I have an excuse to buy everything I like, or else I need tell Santa to scrap the North Pole factory and just fill my stocking with UCU goodies! When you've got amazing crafters and artists like this, who needs elves anyway? read more

This was a fun event that my friend and I attended. We went on a Saturday of the two-day/weekend event around the late morning, and the place was already packed (it ended around 6PM)! It was located at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, and you're greeted by two ladies who hand you a map and one of them had a clicker, to count all the people coming in. There was a donation box there, yet the event is free to attend. The event set-up is by rows of the different vendors, and there were so many of them that the provided map helps navigate where you are, especially if you're looking for a particular vendor. My friend and I decided to walk around the entire event first and then go back to a vendor we liked if we wanted to purchase anything. Once you're there you'll see so many different, handcrafted items from local artists and will have to fight the urge to buy so many goodies! I really liked that several of the artists brought business cards, which gave contact information and a link to their Etsy shop. Since the event was packed it can be a little troublesome to get around some of the vendors, especially where there's a bunch of people huddled in front of a vendor and so on. My friend and I decided it was easiest for us to split and mingle on our own and meet up later, so that we could take our time to browse at certain vendors. There were some food options and luckily my friend and I ate before coming here, because we noticed that there were lines for all the small food vendors present. So, if you come here - be prepared to wait in line for grub or eat before or plan to afterwards. There was also a raffle taking place every hour and merchandise from the event itself being sold. It's a fun event to check out, especially for one-of-a-kind gifts. read more

WOW! I really loved my experience at Urban Craft Uprising! My mom and I had a craft fair 'date' today. This is such a fun and unique place to find gifts for your friends and who am I kidding... yourself! Tons of talented vendors, lots of variety and some really good deals! I picked up some jewelry, handmade cards, and a beautiful silk screened calendar. I am already looking forward to their next show! read more

I enjoyed going to the Urban Craft Uprising. A friend and I made an afternoon of it. Unfortunately, it came at a bad time financially for me, so I could only buy one thing. I love it so much! I lost the tag unfortunately, but I think it is Maluhia. Her stuff was so freaking cute! There was a ton of really great stuff. I would have gone crazy in there with a few hundred spending dollars. I think that most everything I saw was fairly priced considering the amount of talent present. My main problem with the event was that it was so packed! I hate crowds, so it made me a tad anxious. There were some booths that I wanted to look at, but just skipped because it was so crowded, and I just didn't want to deal with pushing through a dozen people to look at something. That's more my problem though, because I knew it would probably be like it was. If I have the funds, then I will probably attend next year. read more

We went to the summer 2011 fair and I have to admit that I was completely and totally underwhelmed. The moment we walked into the facility it felt like all the energy was sucked right out of everything. It was a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be and there was no 'urban' or 'uprising' feel to it. The were some interesting vendors and I bought a skirt but overall it was boring. We were in and out in less than an hour. Parking was $10 and there was no entrance fees, thankfully. read more

It's all been said here already...but just to reiterate: UCU rules. Before I did the show, I was talking to someone who had previously been a vendor and they literally got tears in their eyes talking about how awesome it was. read more

This is my favourite craft market in Seattle. The organizers choose really interesting vendors who make quality arts and crafts. Entrance is free, but better than that, they give out goodie bags to the first 100 people each day. It's super fun to go early and meet like-minded people in line while waiting for the doors to open. read more

I love Urban Craft Uprising. I went to the show in the Spring and remembered I never wrote a review which is one reason I am doing it now. The other reason is because the fall show happens the first weekend of December so if you are a fan of the indie artisan, can't stop looking at items on places like Etsy and like original and interesting things then I recommend checking it out. There are many jewelry artists, fiber and textile art (including clothes), paintings, soaps and lotions, candles, book arts, etc... I bought about 4 items which were all gifts to myself, but if you are looking for a fun and funky handmade item for someone for a Christmas gift then go the December show. There is no cost to attend. read more

Went summer 2011 and was disappointed. I guess I expected it to be bigger. Most of the stuff there was not really up my alley. Not to say that it wasn't great. There definitely was a huge range from food, to clothes to jewelry. I guess I wanted to see more kids stuff. More paper stuff. More sewing stuff. Perhaps I have been watching too much Martha Stewart but I just expected something...well out of the ordinary. It literally took me 20 minutes to walk through the whole thing. My favorite booth had kiddie stuff with different Japanese imported fabrics - by far the cutest and most variety. will I go next year....only if there is free parking and free entry. I do have to say that the vendors there were great and very skilled. I love things hand made! read more

My first time at the winter show and there was a huuuge line - it was a little smaller than I had anticipated since the line was so long. Everything was really fun - lots of fun shops filled of stuffed animals, treats, and diy crafts. read more

I love this show. I loved it as a vender and I loved spending most of the money I made there on the other great venders' work. What a variety! These ladies have it down. Each booth has it's own unique voice. Very very very inspiring. From the dark and krusty kinda kitsch art to the super sweet lullaby ladybirds to extremely well tailored burlesque corsets and super funny bright boy bow ties, this show has it all. I hope to be back, if not as a vender, then definitely to shop. I highly recommend. read more

Still going to the show! Last time I bought a hat from Flipside that I love (cute + fits my giant head) and get tons of compliments on. December we finally found the parking structure directly across the street again. I guess we had a hard time locating it after our first visit. Much nicer in the winter. We still prefer the Fisher building during the summer tho. Get to walk past the needle, through the center, past the fountain, and all the flowers in bloom. read more

Urban Craft Uprising - Gummy bear (resin) ring and Ugly Baby shower art. July 2013. - Festivals Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The economy sucks and despite what the big 3 automakers are saying, no one is feeling it more than small, independent businesses. I decided to do my tiny part and buy Christmas presents from local, independent stores/dealers (no cheating with Starbucks or Nordstrom) only this year. As Urban Craft Uprising came around this weekend I knew it would be my golden ticket. Scott K. and I got in right as it was opening and let me tell you, it was packed! Luckily the music was great and the artists seemed to be excited by the obvious success of the event. It was a mix of local stores and independent designers who mostly sell online only and yes, not all were local but close enough. I had a VERY hard time not buying stuff for myself. Those Sam Trout shirts were calling to me! Unfortunately, we missed the swag bags but I overheard a few people saying they were pretty nice. I admit to being a little worried that I would find tons of great gifts with hefty prices - no so! I was so surprised how affordable many of the items were. With $100 cash in hand (very few booths take credit cards so plan ahead!) I was able to buy quite a few gifts and walk out with money in my pocket. I would definitely recommend this to people looking for unique gifts and plan to be back next year! read more

I have to say I was a tad disappointed at the UCU show this weekend. We had a whole lot of fun waiting in line for an hour and a half in the pre-snow chill, we made the first 100, got the goodie bags! The bags were pretty good, and I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but a note to crafters and small business owners- I'm not going to wear a button that says your biz's name without some sort of experience with your stuff. I'm not your billboard. I know you're desperate/eager to get the word out about your joint, but until/unless I actually interact with it, I'm not gonna pimp your biz, no matter how cool a font you put on the button. I was tickled that the entire hall was filled with crafty goodness. I was 90% horrified at the price tags. Now, before you go telling me how expensive and time-consuming it is to make this stuff, save it. I know. I too sew, glue, embellish, rework and otherwise craft. Thing is, a show like this is to build your customer base, and you do this by making your stuff accessible to your demographic (in this case, other 30-something crafters). When you're selling on Etsy, or at a street fair, then you jack those prices, but to gouge your peers is unconscionable. One last note of craft-snobbery is that ladies- you went to all that trouble to make that cute skirt- SEW the rick-rack on, because you know the first time I wash it, it's gonna come off. And it wouldn't hurt to roll those hems to avoid fraying. AND furthermore- if you whip a lining into that baby, I'd be way more inclined to pay $68 for a cotton skirt. Otherwise, the selection was vast, with remixed monsters and bird silhouettes the meme du jour, and there was some really quality stuff there, so don't get me wrong. I'm glad there's no cover charge to get in to this show, and I'm also glad that I sew, too. read more

The December 2009 Urban Craft Uprising was great, as usual. My only complaint is that it was so crowded! A little more space in the aisles would be a big help. I didn't stick around as long as I would have had it been less of a zoo. Minus one star! (Don't worry, you're still cool. I think it's just growing pains.) read more

Very rude organizer woman was very snotty and insulted us today. We love this show and we have been to every single one for the last four years! The vendors are great, the crafts are stunning. We always spend at least three hundred bucks here! However, today we had an experience that made us question if the organizers haven't become arrogant arseholes from it all. We noticed the show dates were listed through Monday (AND we were told by several vendors IN PERSON Sunday that we could return Monday, "Hope I see you tomorrow," they all said!) and decided to make another trip! We arrived (with children) to find three women guarding the door, telling us today was only open to business owners. Confusing, considering the dates are advertised through 4pm Monday. We were disappointed, but trying to wrap our heads around the logic of this, barring buyers with cash from entering the building with vendors trying to sell goods. One of the women, an older petite white lady with short black hair, took a very strange tact with us. "Well, unless you don't live in the WORLD," she said to us very sarcastically, "I suppose you wouldn't understand something like this." My 15-year-old angst-filled niece talks to her parents with better manners than this grown woman had. I got the distinct impression that she was in charge somehow and perhaps had authority over the other two women, because they seemed taken aback by her tone, and tried to apologetically smile and change the subject. She continued speaking to us in the same way, however. Rolled her eyes at us, and seemed very put out that a family would dare to pester her by planning the day around her event. No apology for the confusing event dates, no empathy, no understanding, just speaking to us like she thought we must be stupid. Wasting her time. There was no one else in line, and the table was full of unclaimed nametags 45 minutes before close. The hall was practically a ghost town. If they didn't want to let us in, fine. But you DO NOT speak to people this way, in Seattle or any other city. We left feeling completely put down and shocked that anyone from UCU would treat us this way. Really distasteful. The pure disdain in her eyes and voice was shocking. What would it have cost her, really, to be human and kind in that moment? What is she not getting about craft culture to leave her so bitter toward us, her gosh-dang supporters spending our hard-earned cash on her show year after year? Does this unconventional job allow her to act like an adolescent toward everyone all the time, so she's used to getting away with it? Does "Uprising" just mean the right to dispense with civility? So many questions, we are at a loss. We really weren't that upset about the date confusion. We were upset that no one took even the slightest bit of responsibility, and indeed flatly contradicted us when we tried to tell them about the misinformation we received, instead of caring or being curious how this happened, let alone trying to correct it for the future. All three women acted like it was our fault for not being "In the World" (what adult even talks like that?) And we were most upset at being spoken to like annoying pests in their space. If they had simply spoken kindly and respectfully to us, we would probably have let everything else go. The reason we come to these shows is for the positive atmosphere. Mistakes are bound to happen when you have an event for three days but try to select what type of people you allow each day. I am seriously re-thinking our support and participation after this catty encounter. I honestly can't believe someone with such a crumby attitude towards patrons could possibly produce such a positive atmosphere. Maybe this woman was burnt out from a bad weekend, maybe the fair didn't make enough money this time, maybe she didn't sleep well, I don't know, but she should NOT be around patrons of the show until she gets the help she needs to act civilized toward the people who make her show possible. Once you start being snotty to one person, or a family, because you think "We're so popular it doesn't matter if I'm rude to one person," your organization is on its way down the tubes, one way or another. Clean up your act and remember your roots, before your people got this arrogant, urban craft uprising. Once that's taken care of, see about no longer advertising elite events to the general public, only to turn people away at the door. Your system isn't working, in so many ways. We deserve an apology at the LEAST. read more

I would like to give shout-outs to three vendors that are at Urban Craft Uprising Summer 2013: -- The Sprinkle Factory: Super cute adorable jewelry in the shape of pie, cupcakes, gummy bears, cake, waffles, donuts, ice cream and more. Many items are in painstaking detail and the prices are way more affordable/reasonable than most other vendors. Perfect for someone that likes sweets and/or whimsical jewelry. http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSprinkleFactory -- Fernworks: Really cool and unique three dimensional jewelry and (smallish) art pieces, made from (found) items(such as plants, sea creatures, insects) embedded in layers of resin and sometimes painted as well. I've been drooling over her jewelry and artwork for years but never able to afford it. But today she had stuff on sale!!! Scored an awesome pair of earrings for $15 (normally would be $50+)!! http://fernworks.org/ -- Kendra Binney: Surreal and colorful paintings covered in resin. Not only did her work catch my eye immediately, I also bought something because it was the most reasonably priced art I've ever seen at UCU (eg small pieces for $20, necklaces for $30)!! Her delightful mother was manning the table. http://www.kendra-binney.com/ Most vendors now accept credit cards. There is plenty of food at UCU now, so you can shop and eat. read more

Absolutely phenomenal shows! They always have a great mix of vendors with an edgy vibe but high quality work. No imports or crappy goods here at all! And if you arrive early enough you get a swag bag full of free goodies! read more

You must go to this! Got so many gifts and one-of-a-kind items! Best time to go is at 10:15, right after doors open! Next time, I'm leaving the kid at home though, not a kid friendly event... read more

I am so looking forward to another UCU this weekend! I have been there as both a vendor and a shopper over the years and it's an all over great experience. There is an awesome variety of crafty weirdness. The first 100 people get swag bags so you can be sure I will be there early. As a vendor, I can say it's a really cooperative environment and runs like a well oiled machine - very calm and easy set up. There's something great for everyone and I look forward to UCU all year :) read more

I always find something unique and interesting. They have pop-up markets at various locations throughout the year as well as a very small shop on 3rd Ave. The shop is great for picking up a quirky little gift or something fun for yourself when you need one, but the real gems are the pop-ups. They have a few artists who are pretty much always there, but there are a lot of rotations in and out as well. You can find everything from wooden coasters to kids books, soap to jewelry, bags made of old sails and rubber tires, funky screen-printed shirts, garden fancies...you never know what uniquely fantastic thing you will pick up that you never knew you needed. read more

I've been going to the UCU for the past few years and honestly it's one of my favorite things in the world. There's really nothing else like it. It's well organized for such a large scale show. I love that they encourage the vendors to offer $5 product options in addition to there regular wares. My only minor complaint would be that, especially if you go more than once or twice, you tend to see the same vendors show after show. I haven't felt as bad skipping a show here or there after seeing it's much of the same lineup I've seen before. read more

This show has changed for the worse. They started it with the right message to "Shop local & handmade" however, at some point they decided to start letting Vintage Clothing re-sellers into the event. Don't get me wrong, "I loves-me some vintage clothing" however, this is still a "Handcraft Event" right? Then came the food sellers and their "free samples" which they handed-out IN FRONT of the non-food booths, distracting and congesting the isles with no consideration to the vendors who worked so hard on their creations. Who wants greasy "food truck" fingers handling new merchandise? Attendance at the Summer shows has never been as anywhere near as good as the winter shows and you have to feel sorry for the vendors that paid the big $$$$ just to be included. When I asked some vendors why they did the Summer shows if they weren't making much money, they said that they had heard that "they wouldn't be allowed into the Winter show if they didn't do the Summer show". It sounds hard to believe right? Whether it's true or not we'll never know. I do know unique vendors who were loyal to both shows and self-promoted them since UCU's humble beginnings that have been rejected for the Winter show. If the show cannot grow beyond it's current location's size, it is my opinion that loyal vendors should not be rejected to make room for "food vendors". Something is not right here. read more

Urban Craft Uprising has risen! This show keeps getting better and I love that they ask for fan feed back. That means that they are committed to 30% new vendors each year to make sure there's always something new and fresh to see. They have something for anyone who appreciates creativity and the arts, from cheeky and whimsical to the more refined. I heard someone say it looks like UCU is growing up, and I think it's true in the best of ways. Still plenty for the young at heart to put a smile on your face but also some drool worthy cutting edge art to adorn your body or your home. I love that entry is free so even if you can't afford to buy you can get inspired and follow up with you favorite vendors online or at other venues. As far as the price of the work at the show, I realize if we want Seattle to maintain its creative edge we need to be willing to pay artists a living wage or we will only see "entry level" art as artists won't be able to sustain growth when they can't pay the bills. Many vendors seem to offer a variety of price points which is great for the budget. read more