EDMONTON -- One of our city’s most popular craft shows is happening this weekend … in a virtual way.
The Royal Bison Art and Craft Fair is moving to a digital platform because of the covid-19 pandemic.
The event which is organized by Edmonton artists, allows them to showcase and sell their unique products.
“We rely on the fair for part of our income. We sell our own work there very so we are motivated to keep it going,” says Vikki Wiercinski an organizer an artist.
It looked like the fair, which started in 2007, was going to have to be calle off this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic bcause the event attracts over 3,000 people. But instead of cancelling it, organizers decided to change it to a digital format.
“We’re really happy that we managed to figure out how to put it online. We didn’t think we could do it,” says Wiercinski.
Event organizers built a website showcasing 80 vendors selling 1,800 items that people could buy online.
But the people behind the Royal Bison Art and Craft Fair also wanted to provide a sense of togetherness to give people a feeling like they are at the physical event. In order to do that, they reached out to their supporters on social media.
“Everybody has photos of old Royal Bison fairs they’re going to share. We have some history, we’re not brand new. We’re going to try to engage the community that way,” says Wiercinski.
The Royal Bison Art and Craft Fair has also been proud of its quirkiness proclaiming it was proud to help “keep Edmonton weird."
But this year they have a new tagline called “shop local or else.”
“We really do want people to shop local or else because what are we going to be left with otherwise?”, asks Wiercinski. “We really are feeling in the pandemic, the economic situation we are in, so many independent businesses may not survive.”
The Royal Bison Art and Craft Fair launches its online pop-up event at www.royalbison.ca at 5 p.m. on Friday and runs until Sunday at 5 p.m.
