The holidays are upon us and thanks to the Stuyvesant Independent Art’s Bazaar, gift-giving is now an easy weekend to-do list.
Bedstuy’s Stuyvesant Mansion located at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue has been transformed into a holiday pop up shop, featuring food, clothing, an art exhibition, and various workshops for the whole family to enjoy.
This is not your average pop up shop; the organizers have created a well-rounded experience that provides a platform for small business owners to connect with the community in an intimate way.
According to participating artisan Allison Burnham of Coconut Baby Catering, “It’s just a very eclectic group of artisans that are going to be there. It’s not just food, it’s going to be jewelry, people who hand-make ornaments, clothing — really interesting group of people, artists coming together to put together this bazaar.”
The bazaar pulls entrepreneurs beyond Brooklyn’s borders. Included in their vendor list is Coconut Baby Catering by Allison Burnham, who is based in Barbados but is originally from New York.
“I will be doing the mango-christophine tart, that’s the new thing I’m doing,” Burnham said. “I’m also doing a couple of different drinks I do back home including a coconut punch, sorrel, cranberry-ginger drink — all kinds of different, new things that I’m trying out on the American public.”
The unique shopping experience aims to pull the community in to “shop local” beyond small business Saturday. The Stuyvesant Independent Art’s Bazaar also positions itself to push conversations around culture through the art exhibit by artist Citizin titled, “Not Black Enough For New York, Not African Enough For Accra” during opening night.
According to the artist’s description his piece discusses the limbo between operating within two cultures.
The Stuyvesant Independent Art’s Bazaar will run every Sunday until Dec. 20. Find your stocking stuffers at the holiday pop up shop.
