The Big Local

Last Saturday, my best friend Sarah and I had yet another chance to set up next to each other at a show. This is how we met. Crazy how that was almost four years ago. I had a little 6 foot table at First Friday, a month after I moved from Michigan to Georgia, and she was the jewelry booth across from me. I asked her to watch my booth while I went across the street to get coffee. We got to chatting, and next thing we know, we plan to hang out and get a beer at a bar down the road when we pack up our booths. The rest is history.

Sarah designs jewelry from found vintage jewelry. "Vintage Made New". You can find here Etsy shop here. And this weekend, when I go to Augusta, we are offering BFF coupons to all our shoppers. She'll be set up at Arts In The Heart, and I'll be up the street in front of Sky City. Buy from her, get 20% off to my shop. Buy from me, get 20% off to her shop.

The Big Local was so much fun. It was at the Lady Antebellum Amphitheater at Evans Town Center. Presented by United Methodist, a local church group, and 100% free! A friend of ours invited Sarah and I to set up, and we were two of just a handful of vendors. The event was family oriented, with free food, drinks, activities, and music. 

There's something to be said about the awesomeness of a completely free event. Gosh, Matt and I went to the Jerk Chicken Festival here in Jacksonville, and they charged for parking, admission, and then we watched in horror and disbelief when the rude security guards patting us down at the entrance wouldn't allow the family behind us to bring in a cooler full of water for them and their 4 children! Not even water allowed?! And then after we paid already to get in, waters were $5!! If we had children, big if, ha, we would never attend an event like that. This is another reason why I was so happy to be a part of The Big Local.

Girls on golf carts, all day, drove around tossing out water to everyone, pushing water on me jokingly since we didn't take much from them, as Sarah came prepared with a cooler so we wouldn't have to buy any, since we didn't realize just how much they were providing. I ate lunch for free, and they had your choice of a hot dog or pulled pork sandwiches. 

Adam, our friend that invited us to participate in the event, told me at the end of the day, the inspiration behind the event. An old man in hospice, presumably with not much family, had a good bit of money to give away before he passed. He donated this large sum to United Methodist. Sure, the church could have paid their employees, supplement their salaries, fix the church, or spend the money within their congregation. But no. They decided they wanted to give back to the community by hosting a 100% free event for Augusta. An event, not just for Christians, but for the community. 

Bluegrass and folk music played throughout the park all day, with children running around with hulla hoops, climbing a rock wall, jumping in the bouncy house, and enjoying the atmosphere. It was truly a great day, and I'm so honored to have been there to be a part of it.