Craftin’ Outlaws Returns This Weekend

Columbus’s longest-running alternative craft fair, Craftin’ Outlaws, kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday at The Gateway Film Center near the Ohio State University campus.

The sixth annual event, which wraps at 5 p.m., will feature more than 50 vendors.

Attendees can expect a wide variety of “high-quality, handmade goods with an edgy, modern twist,” including Rock n’ Roll-inspired jewelry, soaps and fragrances, plush creatures, screen printed clothing, and sewn stationary, says Megan Green, co-organizer for Craftin’ Outlaws.

Additionally, ARTillery’s Gateway space will host Craft Corner Death Match, handmade cage battle where crafters go head to head for the title “Crafter of Steel.” Scheduled for 1 p.m.-3 p.m., the battle is open to attendees and vendors.

ARTillery also will offer pumpkin decorating and Thought Co. will screenprint the Craftin’ Outlaws logo on a T-shirt or tote bag that attendees supply or purchase for $6 and $12, respectively.

Charitably minded event-goers can play a giant Plinko-style game, with proceeds benefiting Rwanda Knits, which provides hand-operated, American-made knitting machines, as well as technical and business training, to women living in Rwanda. (Last year’s Craftin’ Outlaws donation to Rwanda Knits totaled $500.)

Admission to Craftin’ Outlaws is free and the first 100 attendees will receive swag bags filled with vendors’ products and coupons provided by local businesses.

Craftin’ Outlaws was conceived in 2005 by Liz Rosino, a Columbus College of Art & Design alum and owner of Lucky Kat, an online shop that sells handmade clothing, accessories, and housewares.

Green and “a local posse of crafters” have dedicated themselves to carrying out Rosino’s vision for the event since her enrollment in graduate school, Green says.

This year, more than 30 volunteers helped coordinate the event.

Craftin’ Outlaws is proud of its role in the re-emergence of a handmade culture in Central Ohio, says its co-organizer Jill Brown.

“With the economy’s current challenges and the focus on buying local, we love that we provide a well-established venue for local and regional artists and crafters to reach an enthusiastic audience,” she adds. “We believe we present the option of handmade goods to some customers who would not otherwise consider purchasing them by showing that these goods can be high-quality, unique, and exciting.”

To learn more about Craftin’ Outlaws, visit CraftinOutlaws.com.