Indie artisan fair Jackalope brings crafty creatives to Liberty Station

by Eileen Mamaghani • Times of San Diego

Groups gather and peruse artisan booths featuring handcrafted items at Jackalope, billed as an “Indie Artisan Fair.” (Photo courtesy of Jackalope)

Jackalope, an indie artisan fair, is hosting a weekend market for the first time in San Diego. The market, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, will feature about 200 artisans of all trades at Liberty Station’s NTC Park at Pebble Field.

Tom Kabbash, owner of Saunt Eyewear, creates locally made, sustainable sunglasses from castor bean oil. He’s worked as a product designer for over 30 years and found this event motivated him.

“I’ve been doing this forever and was pretty burned out,” Kabbash said. But being invited to the market got his creative “juices flowing.”

A benefit of operating in San Diego, according to Kabbash, is the local partners he’s developed relationships with over the years, two being the co-founders of Jackalope.

The market, started by Sara Diederich and Melissa Kohout in Pasadena, first expanded to downtown Burbank, then Santa Barbara. Co-founder Kohout said her art is in organizing.

“I just love being able to provide an atmosphere where it brings these artists together, and for people to come shop and support them who might not have heard of them or found them otherwise.”

Briena Chavez, owner of Dope Ass Ceramics, said markets like these are the hub for connection people are looking for.

“I think people leaning into community and really looking for handmade items has really helped the business,” Chavez said.

This year, Chavez’s booth will be experiential, because for the first time, she’s been given a big space to set up.

She’s created a supermarket-themed booth so customers can browse for produce-themed kitchenware with grocery baskets.

An artisan shows off her work to a customer at the Jackalope fair. (Photo courtesy of Jackalope)

Co-founders Kohout and Diederich said they carefully selected artisans with original, handmade work. They want to avoid what they see as a lack of originality in art generated by artificial intelligence.

“We make an effort to bring a highly curated collection of work to each of our fans,” Diederich said, “and this one is no exception.”

At the family-friendly market, summer activities such as seashell decorating and indigo-dyeing will allow attendees to tap into their own creative skills.

Kohout encourages those attending to “pack a picnic blanket and enjoy the food and drink, listen to some music and do some crafts and shopping.”

“We really want people to come and spend the whole day with us,” she said.