Today is the day to play! The Family Fun stage is in full effect

Who could ask for more than eating, shopping, and playing? In the midst of being productive and crossing everyone off your holiday gift list, you can entertain the kiddos and entertain your taste buds at our Foodpalooza. Braid Babe will be onsite for a custom hairdos and you can complete the makeover with a little face-painting.

Kicking off the Family Fun stage at 11am is a little magic by Carlos, and closing out the Fair is a family-friendly comedy act by The Flying Theater Machine. The day is stacked with entertainment, so check out the full schedule here: http://cherrywoodartfair.org/2016-lineup/

Your day will not be complete without visiting with our community partner booths to build a robot (LASA Robotics), learn about wildlife rescue (All Things Wild), pet a foster dog (Austin Pets Alive), create your own upcycled ornament (Break It Down), or perusing the Fifth Dimension Books Bookmobile.

Once you’ve made all the rounds, stop by the Austin Creative ReUse booth for complimentary gift wrapping of all your Texas-made treasures. They are located in the cafeteria where our silent auction is located, featuring items from Chula League’s Little Artists, Cherrywood Art Fair artists, and local business goodies such spa services, restaurant gift cards, and more! The silent auction closes at 3pm, so get your bids in early.

Share your Cherrywood Art Fair experience by utilizing our custom Snapchat filter and don’t forget to vote for your favorite Artist Booth on our Facebook page. We hope it’s a day of being Merry!

Cheers to 15 years! Cherrywood Art Fair begins today.

Since its inception in 2002, Chula League’s Cherrywood Art Fair has come a long way but still features all original art from 91 local makers! Plan your shopping with our artist booth map or preview their work on our website here.

Did we mention we also have music, oh-so-good music? From 11am-5pm you can enjoy a diverse selection of tunes from country, to brass, to pop to indie rock to Austin School of Rock. Personally, we are are a little star struck by this year’s headliner, Suzanna Choffel. Don’t miss this Austin favorite—and former “The Voice” contestant—at 3pm. Music lineup.

When you are ready to refuel, head over to our tasty trailer cuisine offerings such as Mmmpanadas, Jack Hates Coffee, Texas Chili Queens and more! In between, make sure to visit with our community partners to decorate a hula hoop (Hoop Circle, fix a flat (Yellow Bike Project), make an instrument (GirlStart) or decorate your own ornament (LiveMom). Food vendors & Community Partners.

There’s plenty to do, so you may just have to come back for day two!



p.s. share your Cherrywood Art Fair experience by using our custom Snapchat geofilter while onsite!
p.s.s. ears open at noon for our announcement of Critic’s Pick BEST ARTIST BOOTH.
p.s.s.s. you can vote for Audience Pick BEST ARTIST BOOTH via our Facebook page. Polls close Sunday at 2pm.

TGIF – are you ready to EAT, SHOP & PLAY?

It’s lookin’ like a fine Austin winter weekend to get in the holiday spirit. We are open rain or shine, but the forecast looks promising. Gather the troops and make it a day (or a weekend) of friends and family fun. Take advantage of our $5 valet service, utilize our bike racks or score a parking spot in the neighborhood. Free pedicabs will be peddling around if you want to get a lift right up to the entrance (don’t forget to tip). Better yet, show us your bus ticket for a free hot chocolate – there is a stop right next to the Fair.

Doors open at 10am on Saturday and the music stage comes alive at 11am with 18-year-old country ATX country singer/songwriter Bethany Becker. You’ll want to check out the full line-up to make sure you don’t miss your favorite artists, bands and entertainment.

2016 Artists
2016 Music & Entertainment Schedule

It’s Game Time, Volunteers!

We look forward to seeing you tonight for Volunteer Orientation at Maplewood Elementary (3808 Maplewood Ave.) from 6:30-8pm. We will convene in the cafeteria and enjoy delicious pizza donated by House Pizza. Also, your volunteer t-shirts are hot-off-the-press and ready for you to pickup.

Thank you so much for being a part of the 15th anniversary of Cherrywood Art Fair! We couldn’t do it without you.

KUT Get Involved Spotlight: Little Artist BIG ARTIST

Each month, KUT features a local nonprofit to connect their listeners with a program that makes an impact in Austin and highlight ways to help through volunteering or contributing. This month, Get Involved puts a spotlight on Chula League’s Little Artist BIG ARTIST program.

Little Artist BIG ARTIST (LaBA) is a unique, completely free, after school arts mentoring program for elementary school children in East Austin.



Professional artists mentor fifth and sixth graders for 10 weeks, teaching them how to turn an idea into art, and art into a business. Since 2007, Little Artist BIG ARTIST has paired working artists with 174 children within eight different East Austin elementary schools.

Listen to the Get Involved segment and learn more here.

Proceeds generated from the Cherrywood Art Fair fuel Chula League’s Little Artist BIG ARTIST program. Cherrywood Art Fair Event Producers Taylor Wilson and Dani DeMarco have been working hard to help ensure this year’s event is a success. In addition to producing, Wilson and DeMarco’s company Glitter Tribe returned this year as the fair’s Music & Family Attraction Coordinators.

WHAT’s your day job?

Taylor: I’m an Account Manager at CareerPlug, an Austin-based software company.
Dani: I work part time for company called Magnolia Photobooth Co. and as a cocktail server at Half Step on Rainey St!

WHAT’s your favorite hobby?

Taylor: Discovering new music, going to shows, and supporting local bands.
Dani: Is eating a hobby? I like to enjoy new restaurants when I have the time off.

WHAT are you MOST excited about for this year’s fair?

Taylor: The music of course! And being able to shop from such a diverse group of artists.
Dani: This is our 2nd year being involved and I’m really looking forward to meeting more creative people we have in the Austin community.

WHAT’s your favorite East Austin hang out?

Taylor: We spend most of our time working on Glitter Tribe & Cherrywood out of coffee shops like Rio Rita, Brew & Brew, and Sa-Ten.
Dani: I really enjoy hanging out at Yellow Jacket for the food or Hotel Vegas for the music.

WHAT Austin celebrity should come shop at the CHERRYWOOD ART FAIR?

Dani: If Matthew McConaughey stopped by, I wouldn’t be disappointed at all.

IF you could pick any local, family-oriented act (a band, artist, musician, activity, dance team, theatre troop, etc.) to perform at the fair, WHO would it be?

Glitter Tribe is all about supporting women in music so because of that, we’d love to see Girls Rock Austin!

Eat, Shop and Play at Cherrywood Art Fair! Announcing a Lineup of Amazing Bands, Family Fun Activities, and Local Food Trucks

Download Press Release

CONTACT: Christy Butler, Jewell Media
Christy@cityjewell.com 512.694.6456

Eat, Shop and Play at Cherrywood Art Fair!
Announcing a Lineup of Amazing Bands, Family Fun Activities, and Local Food Trucks for December 10 & 11, 2016.

(Austin, Texas) — Gearing up for a full weekend of fun, Cherrywood Art Fair is so much more than just a shopping destination — it is truly an Austin holiday tradition bringing together local eats, lively music and a plethora of engaging activities for the entire family.

The music stage will come alive at 11am on Saturday morning to showcase a variety of musical genres including 18-year-old country singer Bethany Becker, sister pop trio Tiarra Girls, eight-piece brass band Interrobang Brass, indie group The Canvas People and Austin’s beloved School of Rock. Headlining this year’s Fair is the acclaimed singer-songwriter and past The Voice contestant Suzanna Choffel, who will take the stage on Saturday at 3pm.

On Sunday, the center stage will transition to entertainment with balloons and tricks from Magic by Carlos, an energizing performance from The Pink Flamenco Children’s Dance Academy, puppet fun with The Van Show, inspiring beats from Austin Community Steelband, Storytime with Sukyi McMahon and family friendly improv comedy by Hideout Theatre’s Flying Theater Machine. Tying together the talent as the 2016 emcees will be the sassy and smart comedian Maggie Maye and KUTX 98.9 DJ and musician Elizabeth McQueen.

“It’s been a pleasure to produce such a celebrated event during its 15th year! We’re so excited about the diverse lineup of music and family friendly attractions we curated and can’t wait to share it with all of the attendees. With rock n’ roll headliners, improv and community acts, there truly is something for everyone,” said Glitter Tribe & co-producer Taylor Wilson.

music schedule

This entertainment list most certainly does not stop there with community partners lining up the Maplewood Elementary School cafeteria and basketball court for two full days of interactive fun. Attendees can participate in a variety of offerings such as crafting with Catherine Prystup of livemom.com, hair styling from Braid Babe, Face Painting by Ruth, a bike maintenance workshop with Yellow Bike Project, animal games with All Things Wild, a recycling education table by Break It Down, aerial performances by Circus of Hope, kid’s gardening activities with Gardenheads and many more fun-filled activity stations.

Be sure to stop by the Austin Creative ReUse booth for complimentary gift wrapping of all your Texas-made treasures. You’ll also be able to refuel at one of the many food trucks like Hat Creek Provisions, Heretic Handhelds, Jake Hates Coffee, Juana Taco, Mmmpanadas, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Texas Chili Queens and Wholly Kabob. Plan to stay all day, shop, eat and play!

The Fair showcases local makers, live music, kid’s activities and food trailer cuisine in a family-friendly environment. This year’s confirmed artists represent an eclectic group of 88 Texas artists selling an array of unique goods including whimsical toys, small batch pottery, pet accessories, organic skin care products, fine art, handmade jewelry, clothing, bags and more.

“Cherrywood Art Fair has long been my favorite fair in Austin. The quality and variety of what you can find is unbeatable. Every year is different, so it’s a new treasure hunt every time. From unique paintings and photography to on-trend jewelry and bags, I could find a year’s worth of gifts for all my family and friends at Cherrywood,” said event chair Amy Hadley.

CAF has been going strong for 15 years and this rain or shine event remains free and open to the public. The proceeds from the Fair benefit Chula League’s Little Artist BIG ARTIST, a free after-school arts mentoring program that pairs professional artists with East Austin elementary school children to teach them how to turn a concept into art, and art into a business. Look for their little artist creations at the 200+ item silent auction, which also features gift cards from popular local businesses and donated wares from each of the Fair artists.

For more information about the 2016 Fair, including the artist lineup, bands, food vendors, community partners, sponsors, schedule of events and more, like Cherrywood Art Fair on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram: @ChulaLeague or visit www.cherrywoodartfair.org.

Link to 2016 Artists Press Release: Beloved Austin Holiday Shopping Event Celebrates 15 Years Cherrywood Art Fair Announces its December 10 & 11 Artist Lineup

This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.

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Staff Interview with Amy Hadley, Event Chair

Get to know the 2016 Cherrywood Art Fair Event Chair, Amy Hadley!

Amy Hadley

Amy began her career as News 8 Austin’s morning live reporter, where she won the hearts of viewers with her Fit for Friday & Forever Families segments. She lived in Prague for 2 years then returned to anchor and create another segment, House Proud. She’s now helping others become house proud as an interior designer.


WHAT’s your day job?

Interior Designer


WHAT’s your favorite hobby?

Eavesdropping at coffee shops. Austin is so full of creative people planning amazing ventures. I love to pretend I’m working while I listen to their scheming, especially in a hip coffee shop with great music. Not to mention delicious caffeine.

WHAT are you MOST excited about for this year’s fair?

I’d like to say shopping for friends and family, but shopping for myself is the truth. I’m on a plant and simple jewelry kick right now, so I’ll be zeroing in on all things green and shiny.

WHAT’s your favorite East Austin hang out?

Sawyer & Co. You didn’t know Cajun brunch was your life’s purpose until you’ve eaten at Sawyer. They have the best pancakes in town, and I love channeling Betty Draper in the astro-turfed, 60s-fabulous outdoor lounge. We take all our out-of-town guests there to show off.

WHAT Austin celebrity should come shop at the CHERRYWOOD ART FAIR?

Elijah Wood. If he’s cool enough to buy a house in Austin, he’s cool enough to appreciate and support all the unique, quality goods Austin artists create.

IF you could pick any local, family-oriented act (a band, artist, musician, activity, dance team, theatre troop, etc.) to perform at the fair, WHO would it be?

Big Don! I did a story on Big Don at ACL’s Kiddie Limits one year. He’s a great performer and the nicest guy. He does free shows all over town all year, which is really cool of him.

Staff Interview: Courtney Billingsley – Silent Auction Manager

Courtney Billingsley

The Cherrywood Art Fair staff starts working early in the year to bring you the best art fair in Austin. This week the spotlight is on our dedicated Silent Auction Manager, Courtney Billingsley. Courtney is a full-time Event Manager, with a passion for nonprofit organizations and community engagement.


WHAT’s your day job?

Events Manager Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area


WHAT’s your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobbies include planning parties, drinking coffee, golf and chasing my two little kids around.


WHAT are you MOST excited about for this year’s fair?

I’m most excited to see our auction items and children’s & professional art pieces fly off the tables and into people’s homes!


WHAT’s your favorite East Austin hang out?

Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors


WHAT Austin celebrity should come shop at the CHERRYWOOD ART FAIR?

Jen Hatmaker (author and inspiration) should bring her incredible family and check out the unique artists!


IF you could pick any local, family-oriented act (a band, artist, musician, activity, dance team, theatre troop, etc.) to perform at the fair, WHO would it be?

My entire family is entranced by any Acapella group- so creative, it’s a winner for the fair!

Staff Interview: Marketing/Media Manager

Christy Butler



Former creator, publisher and editor of Jewell Magazine, Christy Butler has always been an advocate of shopping local. Currently, she is eager to help Austin businesses with a variety of Marketing and Public Relations efforts through her company Jewell Media. She has been a gung-ho resident of ATX for 17 years.



WHAT’s your day job?

Jewell Media


WHAT’s your favorite hobby?

Cooking is one of my biggest passions; it is one of the few things that can 100% de-stress me. I was never much of a baker until I had kids. You are never loved more than when you give them a warm, home-baked cookie.


WHAT are you MOST excited about for this year’s fair?

To connect with the Austin Artisan community and scratch off every name on my holiday gift list.


WHAT’s your favorite East Austin hang out?

I love to tuck myself away at Sawyer & Co. for meetings and I always jump at the chance to hang out with our friends at Rain Lily Farm. The graphic design studio I work with, Brink Creative, also resides on an Eastside Farm. The Eastside hangout list is really endless!


WHAT Austin celebrity should come shop at the CHERRYWOOD ART FAIR?

Erykah Badu (TX celebrity) – she’s also been know to break out on the spot with a jam for a good cause.


IF you could pick any local, family-oriented act (a band, artist, musician, activity, dance team, theatre troop, etc.) to perform at the fair, WHO would it be?

Cilantro Boombox, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Afrofreque

Volunteers Make The Fair Shine!

Our fair would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers who donate their time year after year to make Cherrywood Art Fair one of the most successful not-for-profit fairs in Central Texas. They volunteer for many reasons but it’s not always to simply help the fair be successful or to gain event experience. More often than not, they volunteer to ensure that proceeds from the fair continue to support Chula League’s Little Artist BIG ARTIST arts mentoring program.

So today, and everyday, we thank our volunteers. We are humbled by their giving hearts, support of local art and dedication to the laBA program!

We hope that you will consider volunteering for the 2016 Cherrywood Art Fair. Please contact our FANTASTIC new Volunteer Coordinator – Carmen James. She can answer general questions or help find the perfect role for you.

WHAT’s your day job?

I’m Literacy Specialist at a Spanish immersion elementary school.

WHAT’s your favorite hobby?

I love sewing and making colorful things, and recently I’ve gotten into printmaking. I’m excited to show a few woodcut prints at the Women Printmakers of Austin gallery for E.A.S.T.

WHAT are you MOST excited about for this year’s fair?

I’m super excited to be involved in the fair this year and to get to know everyone. I’m planning to get some unique Christmas gifts for my family (jewelry? ceramics?), and I’ll definitely make a stop at the German Christmas cookie trailer.

WHAT’s your favorite East Austin hang out?

It’s a tough call, but one of them is Gourmand’s.

WHAT Austin celebrity should come shop at the CHERRYWOOD ART FAIR?

I think Willie Nelson would appreciate the artsy East-side vibe.

IF you could pick any local, family-oriented act (a band, artist, musician, activity, dance team, theatre troop, etc.) to perform at the fair, WHO would it be?

The multimedia storybook Ivy and the Wicker Suitcase by local musician Brian Beattie, which features loads of Austin musical talent, sounds pretty amazing.