This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Sept. 23, 2011 - Where do you go to meet strange folk? The Strange Folk Festival, of course.
Actually, the word "strange" in the name of this weekend's O'Fallon, Ill., event refers to the festival, not the folk. But with promotional text that includes "a craft happening in psychedelic color," you can imagine that there will be lots of free thinkers on hand.
Strange Folk is billed as the area's largest outdoor indie arts and crafts show. It promises 10 bands, beer and cupcakes, and its 150 vendors will be selling everything from jewelry and vodka bottle candles to zombie dolls and hand-sewn pasties (no, it's not a misspelling of "pastries"; these items are the staple of burlesque performers).
But it's really not about trying to be different, according to organizers. The criteria includes: "trendy styling, functionality, upcycled/eco-friendly materials and practices, and excellent branding and internet presence." About 25 percent of the wares are locally made.
