Today: Cole Valley Fair Offers 90+ Vendors, Live Music, Classic Cars & More

Today: Cole Valley Fair Offers 90+ Vendors, Live Music, Classic Cars & MorePhoto: Lynn Friedman/Flickr
Walter Thompson
Published on September 27, 2015

Today is the last Sunday in September, which means it's time for the 13th annual Cole Valley Fair. From 10am-5pm, more than 90 local vendors will display clothing, food, jewelry, photography, children's items and other wares on the friendly streets of Cole Valley. (Be advised: Cole between Carl & Grattan and Parnassus between Belvedere & Shrader will be closed to vehicles from approximately 6am to 7pm.)

According to Erica Kaidasz, a fair organizer and co-owner of MidLine Fitness Studio and Lavation, the responsibility of planning and staging the neighborhood festival has passed between several different hands since 2002, but this is the third year that she and her husband, Jason, have been involved.

Photo: Alexis Gallisá/Flickr

With an expected crowd of approximately 5,000, the Cole Valley Fair is one of the smaller permitted events in the area, which gives it a less hectic feel, Kaidasz said. "The major difference between this fair and other fairs in the city is that it's much smaller, and it's 100 percent handmade local artists," she said. "We don't allow any imported goods, so I think that's really unique ... [residents] can get a lot of their early holiday shopping done."

The fair also includes a classic car show, live music, and several food vendors. It's designed to be "really kid-friendly," Kaidasz said. "MidLine Fitness is creating an obstacle course, but there's also a jumpy house, balloon artists, a face painter and all sorts of kids' activities."

Photo: Luis C./Yelp

Throughout the day, musicians will perform at the "Hardly Hardly" stage at Cole & Grattan and the "Outside Outsidelands" stage at Cole & Parnassus. "This year, a kids' band from Grattan School is going to play in a slot, which will be fun," said Kaidasz.

Major sponsors include neighborhood businesses like Tantrum, Circus Center and Padrecito, as well as UCSF, Recology and the Cole Valley Improvement Association, a merchants' group. "The local businesses around Cole Valley are really supportive of the fair and we really appreciate their support," said Kaidasz. "Whether they're sponsoring or being a part of the fair, that's the reason this fair can run. It's not a big profit-maker."

"For me, the strong community neighborhood feel of the event is what sets our fair apart," Kaidasz added. "I want to keep this as a small neighborhood event, but I really want more people to come. This is such a great event, and we usually have great weather, so it's a great place to come for a few hours."

Vendors interested in joining next year's fair are encouraged to contact Kajdasz at colevalleyfair [at] gmail.com. For live updates and news today, follow @ColeValleyFair on Twitter. Locals are also invited to a fair-themed happy hour at Reverie Cafe at 2:30 pm, with free small bites and $6 glasses of wine.