We're teaming up with Radio Woodstock 100.1 to present the Hudson Valley Hullabaloo at the Craft Brew Boogaloo. Tickets available now for the Craft Brew Boogaloo, and premier shopping passes are available for the Hullabaloo online ($10, early admission, premium parking and a Hullabaloo tote included), general admission ($2) is available at the gate the day of the event. Vendor applications for makers, artists, designers and vintage are open until April 17th. Can't wait to Hullabaloo and Boogaloo with you!
Event, Music, Party, Sponsor shout-out
2015 Wrap Up: A HUGE Hullabaloo Thank You!
Photo by Richard A. Smith
We may be better rested than we were two weekends ago, but we’re no less excited! We had an incredible two days, and we’re bursting with so much love and appreciation for everyone who helped make this year’s event such a success.
We’re now in our third year, and growth has been more-than-steady. This year, we added about 15 additional vendors, and shopper attendance was up almost 40% from last year—more than 2,500 people came through our doors this year to shop, hang out, and support local and regional artists, designers, makers, craftspeople, vintage collectors, and artisanal food purveyors!
Shoppers came from near (all over the Hudson Valley) and far (from Manhattan, Brooklyn, NJ, CT, RI, PA…), choosing to purchase handcrafted gifts from makers and small businesses, rather than at the malls or from huge online retailers. They RAVED about the talented and diverse collection of vendors and their unique, high-quality offerings. Many vendors reported that their sales at Hullabaloo were record-breaking, many had to skip the after party on Saturday night to make more merchandise for Sunday, and a nearby bank’s ATMs even ran out of cash (coincidence? We think not!). Everything went off without a hitch and the consensus seems to be that everyone—vendors, shoppers, and sponsors—had a terrific time! The response from the community, our sponsors, and the local, regional, and lifestyle/design media has been overwhelming.
Hullabaloo has quickly become “a thing” that has taken off and surpassed our expectations. We started this to bring something to Kingston that would showcase area makers and introduce the community to the talent in our midst. We wanted to create a hip, festive atmosphere that would encourage connections and commerce, offering a unique experience and an alternative to malls and big box stores. We’ve felt for a long time that Kingston was on the verge of becoming a hub for culture and the arts and wanted to do our part to nudge it along. We seem to have gotten the timing right, being both propelled by the renaissance our beloved city is experiencing, and doing our small part to help it build momentum.
We’re very proud of what this has become, and know that we couldn’t be on this wild ride without so many people who help make this a success, and a lot of fun. We are bursting with excitement, appreciation, and love for every single one of you who helped us make this event truly unique, and hugely successful.
Special thanks to:
· Peter Demuth Photography – Peter and Peg ran the photo booth with both mad photography skills and tireless enthusiasm, snapping almost 2,000 photos, available on their Facebook. They even rousted a photogenic grizzly bear out of hibernation to loosen up the crowd.
· Tom Delooza’s Wet Plate Photography – As one of our most unique event features, Tom “old-schooled” a large chunk of the Hudson Valley population. In this age of selfie sticks and cell phone “photography,” we’re so honored to have someone with his talent and thoughtful commitment to a time-honored process be a part of our event.
Photo by Richard A. Smith
· DJ Mr. Chips –What DJ does seven hour sets AND manages to keep it fresh and festive all day long?!?!? Mr. Chips not only found the right balance between making Hullabaloo an awesome party and making conversation/transactions audible, he played a seriously rad mix of music, including ridiculously innovative mash-ups, holiday soul, old-school hip-hop, and more! He helped us create the right energy and get people in the holiday spirit without ever once playing anything you’d hear at the mall.
Photo by Richard A. Smith
· Volunteers – We are SO LUCKY to have amazing families and friends who helped out in so ways…There were no small favors—Everyone went WAY above and WAY beyond, whether they put up tables, made decorations, worked the welcome table, or just were patient with us when we may have been a bit grumpy and feeling under-the-gun. There are too many people to name here, but they know who they are, and our hearts are full with appreciation. THANK YOU!
· Sponsors – We’re so lucky to count so many awesome businesses and organizations among our supporters:
o The Heavy Light Show (BEST. RADIO SHOW. EVER. Seriously, listen in on Saturdays nights from 9:00 till 11:00 on WDST!)
o Green Mountain Energy (Changing the way power is made.)
o R&F Handmade Paints (Some seriously cool stuff goes on in their midtown building.)
o Birch Body Care (home of the walk-in massage!)
o Chronogram (the voice of Valley since before other places were talking about us)
o Bike Friendly Kingston (for free bike parking and a group ride during Hullabaloo!)
o Kingston Land Trust (for the protection and preservation of things and places we love!)
o Cornell St. Studios (so many great events and activities under one roof!)
o The Mighty Mite (that health-conscious, in-the-know friend you need)
o New York States of Mind (a digital magazine and marketplace celebrating this great state)
o One Mile Gallery (a world class gallery that puts the fine arty in our party!)
o Kingston Wine Co. (Visit for great recommendations and info on wine CSAs!)
o Bailey Pottery Equipment (gifts and classes for the potter or ceramicist on your list)
o Antilogy Design & Screenprinting (for doing a bang-up job of printing the goodie bags!)
o The Anchor (for the great atmosphere and super specials to unwind at the After Party!)
· Vendors – We’re proud to count all of you not only among our incredibly talented vendors, but also as friends. SO MUCH LOVE.
· Shoppers – A TREMENDOUS thank you to EVERYONE who came from near and far to support local artists, designers, craftspeople, makers, and purveyors. Thank you for your rave reviews, your support, and your enthusiasm. We are overwhelmed.
Before you know it, we’ll be planning future events, so keep an eye on our website and social media pages. Thanks again for a fantastic year! We can’t wait to see you again soon!
Photo by Richard A. Smith
Vendor Feature: Rockerbox Spice Co., Sawkill Farm, Mavis Studio, and Hodge Podge
We’re sorry you had to wait till the end to hear about these vendors…but we bet you met some other cool people while you waited, right? This is our biggest, best year yet and we absolutely can’t wait to bring all these fantastic people together for your shopping pleasure in just a few days! In the meantime, read a little more about the last four amazing Hullabalooers to be featured on the blog!
Rockerbox Spice Co., Hudson, NY
Rama’s roots (nope, this isn’t another bad pun—garlic is a bulb, silly!) trace back to four generations of garlic growers (check out the photo on her website of the garlic planter her grandfather brought over from Sicily!). This lineage has not only provided her with an appreciation of the stinking rose, but also access to fantastic, locally-grown garlic! Turning a family tradition into an innovative business for herself, Rama began creating garlic and onion powders, and savory mixes like Fiesta, Italian, BBQ, Sweet Corn rub, and gift sets! She dehydrates and grinds the bulbs herself, which makes her product FAR superior than anything you’ll find in the grocery store. Plus, she’s got a talented palate to help her come up with great flavor combinations. Her beautifully packaged spices are fantastic gifts for gourmets, hostesses, and anyone on your list who could use a little spice in their life! They make GREAT stocking stuffers too! This is Rama’s second Hullabaloo and we can’t wait to visit her and stock our pantry with flavor! You should too!
Sawkill Farm, Red Hook, NY
Along with her family, Kallie of Sawkill Farm raises cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens for meat, which they sell at their farm store and at farmers’ markets in NYC. They try to utilize as much of the animal as possible, leaving as little waste as they can—to that end, they’ve developed a line of beef tallow-based soaps that they make and package on the farm, plus sheep skins, and yarn produced completely from their own wool! We’re big proponents of the nose-to-tail concept, so we’re so thrilled to be welcoming Sawkill Farm to their first Hullabaloo, where they’ll be selling these products! Their soaps are made from 100% natural, local ingredients, using traditional processes with leaf lard and beef tallow as the basis. They don’t use any preservatives, artificial ingredients, or other junk in their soaps, and they’re GORGEOUSLY packaged to make perfect “little something” gifts or stocking stuffers. Their sheep skins are all one-of-a-kind, because they raise different wool breeds. What do you use sheep skins for? Well, just about anything, really! Add interest to a couch or comfort to a chair, use it as an area rug (they are soil-resistant!), add an extra layer of warmth at the foot of your bed, or even use it as a funky table runner (trust us, we saw some pretty cool pics on some design blogs)! Google it for inspiration, then head to Sawkill Farm’s table and bring your sheep skin vision to life!
Mavis Studio, Asbury Park, NJ
We just LOVE Mavis Studio’s earthy, minimal, clean, and modern housewares, like wood planters, plant stands, air plant holders, candle holders, furniture, and textiles. With their signature pops of color and elegant lines, her work is somehow colorful yet neutral, fitting in perfectly with any type of décor. Her pieces make perfect gifts for hostesses, friends, co-workers, family, and anyone who loves fresh, modern design combined with practical functionality. Stephanie has a background in architecture and design, and has applied that to express herself through creating beautiful, usable objects with her own hands. This is Stephanie’s first Hullabaloo and we’re so glad to have her participating! Stop by and see what she’s got for the plant-lover or décor enthusiast on your list this holiday season!
Hodge Podge, Accord, NY
Cal Patch, a designer who’s worked for Urban Outfitters, run her own shop in Brooklyn, and helped found hipster craft school MAKE, now focuses on writing articles and books on crafting, doing freelance design work for some pretty impressive clients, and teaching crafts at various locations in New York (often on how to make your own clothes). Hodge Podge is her line of handmade clothing which includes crocheted hats, cowls, hand-dyed silk and wool scarves, clothing, and accessories. She also has giftable items like cozies and will be showing off her new journal covers, Altoid tin sewing kits, wrist warmers, and blanket plaid hoody ponchos at Hullabaloo! Her style is a colorful patchwork (see what we did there?) of funky, bohemian, colorful hipness and it’s all comfy and completely wearable. Stop by Cal’s table at her third Hullabaloo and ask about her class schedule too! We’re so psyched she’s back!