Judson Mill District to host Indie Craft Parade in August

Fifteenth anniversary festival promises to be biggest to date

Indie Craft Parade, an annual two-day celebration of all things handmade, will return to its roots in August by holding its 15th anniversary parade at one of Greenville’s historic textile mills. The 2024 Indie Craft Parade scheduled for Aug. 16-17 and featuring 119 artists will utilize multiple spaces at the historic Judson Mill District, a revitalized mixed-use community on the west side of Greenville.

Indie Craft Parade held its first festival with 77 artists at the Huguenot Mill in 2010 after the Makers Collective, a Greenville-based non-profit organization, recognized that artist and makers around the South needed a way to put their work in front of a larger community.

“We are absolutely thrilled to call Judson Mill District home for our 15th anniversary festival,” said Jen Moreau, community director of the Makers Collective. “Our curated makers market supports independent artists by connecting them with the public. The exposure often serves as a catalyst for their businesses, and we can’t wait to showcase our talented makers at this beautiful location.”

Judson Mill District is located at 701 Easley Bridge Road.

The Indie Craft Parade will incorporate multiple tenants on the Judson Mill campus for the festival by displaying its makers in Events at Judson Mill’s Smokestack, Gallery, and Annex spaces, along with nearby tenants Magnetic South Brewery and The Foundry at Judson Mill.

Additionally, Feed & Seed, Judson’s non-profit food innovation hub serving local farmers and families in South Carolina, is participating as a food vendor at the 2024 festival.

“Indie Craft Parade reached out while our venue was still under construction,” said Tammy Johnson, CEO of Events at Judson Mill. “Our team is passionate about hosting large-scale events and highlighting the talented creators in our community, so it was a natural fit. We’re excited to involve our incredible neighbors on the Judson campus, all while supporting local makers. Guests will be able to enjoy food and beverages while they shop, check out BlocHaven and Stumpy’s Hatchet House, or even stop by the newly opened Play Café so their little ones can burn off some energy.”

Judson Mill District Co-Developer and President of Belmont Sayre Ken Reiter said Indie Craft Parade’s mission corresponds well with Judson Mill’s core values, and that they are excited to welcome this years’ makers to campus.

“Judson Mill District is proud to host Indie Craft Parade,” said Reiter. “Indie Craft Parade’s mission to empower creative entrepreneurs and cultivate community aligns perfectly with our vision to create connectivity for this neighborhood and the greater Greenville community. We look forward to hosting its talented artist and guests.”

The juried makers market features a variety of vendors across several categories, including apparel and accessories; bath, body and candles; ceramics; fine art; food and kitchen; home goods and décor; jewelry; kids; and stationery. Guests of the festival can also enjoy craft stations, a free photobooth, and a selection of local food vendors.

For tickets to this year’s festival, visit www.makerscollective.org/indiecraftparade.

About Indie Craft Parade

Indie Craft Parade is an annual curated makers’ market hosted by Makers Collective, a Greenville-based non-profit organization, that brings together some of the best handmade talent in the US. The festival helps fulfill the Makers Collective’s mission of creating a supportive community around artists. In recent years, Makers Collective has witnessed the incredible momentum and success of independent makers across the country and Makers Collective’s desire is to encourage more of this growth and create a space to showcase it. Indie Craft Parade was created for the Greenville, South Carolina to support and promote independent artists by connecting them with the public, educate our community about the modern craft movement and encourage a renewed appreciation for quality handmade goods, and highlight and contribute to the artistic and innovative local economy of Greenville, SC. For more information on Indie Craft Parade, visit. www.makerscollective.org/indiecraftparade.

About Judson Mill District

Judson Mill District is a sustainable and vibrant mixed-use community offering soulful city living in Greenville, SC. Once the largest textile mill in Greenville County and an integral part of Greenville’s Mill Crescent wrapping the city’s west side, Judson Mill District is now home to office, restaurant, brewery, retail, entertainment, and residential spaces. In 2019, Taft Family Ventures, a distinguished real estate investment and development firm based in Greenville, NC, joined with Belmont Sayre, a privately held real estate investment and development company based in Chapel Hill, NC, to transform the historic 800,000-square-foot textile mill that closed in 2015. While maintaining its vision to preserve the soul, spirit, and features of the historic mill, Judson Mill District utilizes a sustainable approach in revitalizing its 36-acre campus, which now fosters a vibrant and affordable community where people live, work, and play. For more information on Judson Mill District, visit https://judsonmilldistrict.com.