For the past eight years, Basilica Hudson, the city’s beloved arts center, has held an epic, large-scale community market celebrating the Hudson Valley’s creative entrepreneurial pursuits through the Basilica Farm & Flea Holiday Market. This year, with the pandemic causing many venues to pause 2020 in-person programming, Basilica Hudson will co-present, alongside creative studio LikeMindedObjects, the first ever Basilica Farm & Flea Virtual Market, featuring a diverse selection of over 70 Hudson Valley based businesses in place of its annual in-person holiday market. The arts center will host the virtual market on their website to access more than 70 clickable vendors and products for purchase directly from each web shop.
Additionally, Basilica Hudson will run a promotional campaign on their social media to highlight participating vendors, and will also conduct Instagram Live interviews with a diverse range of business owners. This includes herbalist, activist and educator Lauren Giambrone of Good Fight Herb Co., Tiffany Garriga of Moisturize Me and the Black Entrepreneur Market, and regenerative farmers Freya & Melany Dobson of Hudson Hemp & Treaty. The collective hope is that Basilica’s curatorial eye and devotion to the creative community will help provide many participants with the nest egg needed to carry them through the slower winter months.
“Missing out on a celebratory in-person 10-year anniversary season has been heartbreaking for Basilica, but it has also been a call-to-action and transformation,” says Basilica’s Co-Founder and Director Melissa Auf der Maur. “Being a platform for independent voices while fostering a sustainable community and economy is central to our mission. Farm & Flea is a direct manifestation of that commitment and has been such a rewarding experience for all involved. Originally a response to the big box Black Friday super sales, but now a virtual response to Amazon, the monster in our consumer realm! This pandemic is hitting hard on our cultural and social livelihoods, so sticking together locally and putting our creative minds together is how we will get through this challenging time. The silver lining has made itself clear to all engaged and living in our dynamic region, and we feel so fortunate to be a part of that.”
With the support of the City of Hudson Tourism Board, Basilica Farm & Flea Virtual Market hosted an educational webinar and product photography session offered free to participants with a goal to help businesses transition to online shopping. Elise McMahon of LikeMindedObjects led a webinar joined by e-commerce experts Alex Petraglia of the Hudson Business Coalition and Hillary France of Hudson Wylde, as well as photographer Angelina Dreem of Dreem Reality Inc.
While Basilica Hudson has experienced its own financial strain this year resulting in limited capacity on site, leaders say their intent is to be a resource for the community of local businesses during the crucial months of holiday shopping. No doubt the majority of holiday shopping this year will be online and the leaders at Basilica say they feel uniquely equipped to help link their large network of past visitors doing their holiday shopping with regional small businesses and local organizations.
Throughout the year, Basilica has offered workshops in tandem with organizations known throughout Hudson who work with marginalized communities, making direct outreach to include businesses that previously might have felt hindered by vendor fees.
The Basilica Farm & Flea Virtual Market will feature a wide range of regional vendors selling their wares, from vintage and recycled to locally-sourced agriculture as well as handmade items. In addition, Basilica Farm & Flea is offering a custom Basilica Farm & Flea curated gift guide by request.
New vendors include:
Essential Charlie, an eco friendly candle
MoisturizeMe, an organic butter product
Paired Candle Bar, candle, diffusers and room spray
Riverside Paws, pet photography
Robert Vintage Home, a curated collection of desirable vintage home furniture
Sarah Mijares Studio, unique ceramic homeware
Glow Juice, a miracle skincare
Studio Taulapapa
Shakespeare’s
CRCL EARTH, creating healthy, sustainable pillows
Hudson Rose Company
I Am Beauty Story.
For more information visit basilicahudson.org
Photos by Angelina Dreem of Dreem Reality Inc.