danforth east arts fair – Page 2 – Danforth East Community Association

August 25, 2017

The Arts Fair is coming! The Arts Fair is coming!

Mark Your Calendars: The Danforth East Arts Fair Returns Sept. 16-17, 2017!

The clock on the Danforth East Arts Fair website is counting down the weeks (3 weeks, 0 days, 21 hours and 3 minutes at the time of writing, to be exact) left to go until the best arts fair in Toronto returns to East Lynn Park.

If you haven’t been before, you don’t want to miss out! The Fair is a chance to stroll around the park, maybe stopping for a bite to eat while catching up with your neighbours or listening to some live music–all while being treated to dozens of local artisans’ wares.

In honour of DECAF turning 9 this year, here are the top 9 things you need to know about the Arts Fair (and why you should support it):

There is no admission fee to visit the Fair on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16-17, 10 am-5 pm! The live entertainment and activities are all free too.
There is something for everyone, with prices ranging from $5 to over $1000.
There are over 70 amazing local artisans and food vendors to see and taste! Check the Fair’s Facebook and Instagram accounts for daily vendor profiles, and start making your wish list now. Follow #decaf17 so you don’t miss anything.
There is live music to keep your ears entertained while you browse or take a break. On Saturday, Sept. 16, catch Kristen Lindell, Jeremy and Jenn, and Lisa Olafson. And on Sunday, Sept. 17, you’ll hear the sweet sounds of Brynn Leger, Pete Eastmure and AnimalKyngdom, and Jeremy and Jenn.
There are amazing local food vendors to keep you fueled. Grab a coffee, or enjoy a fabulous picnic. This year, look for Celena’s Bakery, East of York, our local Magic Oven, Sweet Serendipity, Taste the Tornado, and The Borough. Yum.
There is free visual entertainment as well! Catch The S.P.A.C.E on Saturday, Sept. 16 at noon-12:30 pm, and on Sunday, Sept. 17, see The Upper Beaches Music School from noon-12:30 pm and Pegasus Dance Studios from 12:30-1:00 pm.
There are lots of activities to keep kids entertained too! Be sure to check out Silly Goose Kids from 10:00 am-1:00 pm and The Toronto Tool Library from 2:00-5:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 16. Sunday, Sept. 17’s kids event line up will be DeSerres from 10:00 am-1:00 pm, and Pegasus Dance Studios from 2:00-5:00 pm.
This year’s generous sponsors who help keep our non-profit Fair going are DECA, and from our fabulous local business community: TrustRealtyGroup, our local DeSerres, Fresh Paint Studio + Cafe, and Toronto Honda. And Damon from PRESS Books. Coffee. Vinyl. is donating coffee from his shop to all the artists.
The Arts Fair and DECA overall is entirely volunteer run. All of this amazingness is orchestrated by your neighbours who want our ‘hood to be more vibrant and fun. Thank you, Arts Fair volunteers!

Stay tuned to the blog for more on the Arts Fair as the weeks count down. See you at the Fair!

September 14, 2016

First time at Danforth East Arts Fair? We have you covered!

Thanks to DECAF volunteer Caroline Starr for this guest post!

Maybe you recently moved to the neighbourhood. Maybe you’ve noticed Danforth East popping up on a lot of “Best Of” lists in the city and decided this is the weekend to check it out. Maybe you’re friends with one of the very talented vendors and they encouraged you to come support them. Maybe you’ve been in the neighbourhood for a while, but never made it down the arts fair before.

If it’s your first time at the fair, here are a few things you might like to know.

– Danforth East Community Arts Fair, or DECAF, as those of us who dig acronyms like to call it, is completely volunteer run. Art loving volunteers pour through applications early in the spring and make the hard calls as to who will fill the sixty-odd spots that cover the park with creative goodness on the third weekend of September every year. Many of the volunteers are affiliated with local businesses or our stand-out parent community association, DECA. All are passionate about promoting and helping our community grow and improve through events like DECAF. If you’d like to volunteer with DECAF or DECA, please check out deca.to for opportunities.

– East Lynn Park, our home base, is located between Coxwell and Woodbine subway stations (a little closer to Woodbine). Street parking is available. The park is stroller friendly, and wheelchair accessible (thanks to an update this spring).

– DECAF is committed to making art accessible, for both artists and our many visitors each year. Our entry fees are among the lowest in the city for comparable events, and when we’re choosing artists, we work to ensure that artists from a wide range of mediums and with pieces from a variety of price points are represented, so everyone can join in the fun! Many of Toronto’s best known makers set up shop at DECAF in their early days, and have gone on to exhibit at much larger shows like One-of-a-Kind.

– Danforth East is a community on the rise. After you’ve taken your time and perused the many vendors that are set up for the weekend, take some time to check out many of the businesses that work with DECA and DECAF to support the fair, including The Canine Social Club, Silly Goose Kids, and Fresh Paint Art Cafe (our sponsors also include Toronto Honda, Toronto Kia and Deb Dorsey/Homeward Realty). Danforth East is also home to a variety of unique businesses, including Viking Bakery, Toronto’s only Icelandic bakery; Now Magazine’s Best Gourmet Takeout (East of York); three maker retail spaces: Artisans at Work, DesignNook, and NiceNook; The Tool Library and Sharing Depot; many successful DECA Pop-Up shops turned local success stories and much, much more. It’s a great place to spend a day!

– Did you like what you saw at DECAF? Have suggestions for improvement? Please feel free to message us on Facebook, or Twitter! We’d also love to see your Instagram shots! Please tag us at #DECAF16 and follow along at @deca_arts for great pics over the weekend!

September 2, 2016

Youth Booth returns to #DECAF16 with talented young artists

For the third year in a row, the Danforth East (Community) Arts Fair will be giving young artists a chance to show off their talents and gain some valuable experience.

Meet our Youth Booth artists for 2016!

Megan’s Art

Megan is a 16-year-old aspiring artist from Rosedale Heights School of the Arts. She loves to paint vibrant still life works and describes her work as Impressionist Acrylic Paintings.

“What my art says about me is that when I see something I think is beautiful and should be looked at differently, I feel I should paint it,” Megan explains.

Thanks to #DECAF16 sponsors, Megan will have her first opportunity to show and sell her work in a public market space.

Welcome Megan!

PIECES by Anngela and Samanntha

PIECES art — PIECES by Anngela and Samanntha, Youth Booth artists.

Sisters Anngela, who is 15, and Samanntha, who is 13, find their inspiration – and source materials – from water.

“We collect beach glass from Ontario lakes and then wrap them around with wires,” say the sisters. “Also, using store-bought glass as pendants, we paint them or glue papers on the back of the glass. We started making jewelry about a year ago and learned from our mother, who has been voluntarily teaching jewelry classes for a Native Reserve Community near Northern Ontario during summer.”

PIECES will be on display and selling their jewelry at the 2016 Danforth East Art Fair, thanks to the generosity of this year’s sponsors.

Welcome Anngela and Samanntha!

The Youth Booth gives young artists an opportunity to bridge the academic world of artistic study with professional practice.This is an excellent opportunity to network with established artists in the community as well as to develop personal portfolios for the future.

The 8th annual Danforth East Arts Fair runs Sept. 17-18 in East Lynn Park. Visit http://deca-arts.ca/ for more info.

September 16, 2015

7 Reasons to Visit the Danforth East Community Arts Fair (#DECAF15)

7 Reasons to Visit #DECAF15 THIS Weekend

Caption: There are more reasons than ever to head to East Lynn Park on Sept. 19-20 for #DECAF15!

1. 7 Years, And We’re Bigger and Better Than Ever!
With more vendors, covering more artistic mediums than ever before, #DECAF15 is the best yet! Check out our new exhibitors and come by East Lynn Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 19-20 and support some old favourites. More info here

2. Enjoy the Benefits of Shopping Local!
Did you know that almost 75 per cent of the money you spend shopping locally stays in your community? The majority of DECAF’s artisans and exhibitors have historically hailed from the east end of Toronto, so while you’re buying something you love, you’re also supporting your neighbours and community!

3. Check Out Unique Gifts!
Looking for that one-of-a-kind wedding gift? Scoping out a baby shower gift that will be a part of the family for years to come? DECAF is a wonderful opportunity to buy something unique and handmade that your friends and family will cherish (the holidays are just around the corner)!

4. Something For Everyone!
With dozens of artisans, working in many different mediums, from fine art to sculpture, to knit pieces and paint, DECAF15 truly has something for everyone to ooh and aww over! Come check out stained glass, custom portraits, photography, jewellery, children’s items, clothing, pottery and much, much more! Check out all the exhibitors here

5. Check Out One of Toronto’s Up-and-Coming Neighbourhoods!
Not from Danforth East? #DECAF15 is a fantastic opportunity to come check out an up-and-coming, lively part of Toronto that’s attracting tons of new residents and businesses every year! Make a morning or afternoon of it, and check out some of the local scenery in addition to the fair!

6. Community Supported!
#DECAF15 is completely planned and run by community volunteers, and supported by DECA. Come by our booth, say hello, and let us know how we can make the 2016 event even better!

7. More Than Art!
Come for the art, and stay for the entertainment! #DECAF15 has a great selection of food vendors, children’s activities, musical performers, hula hoopers, live theatre, dancing, and even a puppet show!

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Have we convinced you? How about a chance for some money to spend in East Lynn Park on Sept. 19-20?

CONTEST ALERT: Keep a watch out for posters advertising #DECAF15. Take a photo of the poster and tag @deca_arts on Twitter or Instagram. You could win a gift certificate to spend at the fair! The posters are on public message boards and inside retailers in Leslieville, Beaches, Danforth East and Riverdale neighbourhoods. Two prizes worth $50 each (no cash value) will be drawn at 5 p.m. ET on Wed. Sept. 16.

Spot a #DECAF15 poster, take a photo and tag it on Twitter or Instagram for a chance of win a prize!

August 4, 2015

Arts Fair Youth Booth

Application deadline is August 15!

Are you an artist between the ages of 13-17 years old?

The Danforth East Art Fair is looking for two young artists who would like to sell their art at our event (September 19-20th). The Youth Booth gives young artists an opportunity to bridge the academic world of artistic study with professional practice. You will get the chance to present and sell your art in an open market, giving you the opportunity to network with established artists in the community as well as develop your personal portfolio for continuing education. You can download the Youth Booth Application 2015 and mail, or email your application back to us before the August 15 deadline.

Download the application here

For more info, visit the website

September 8, 2014

East Lynn Farmers Market, Volunteer for #DEAF14 & Pole Walking

East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market

The photos can speak for themselves! The is truly something special about the people who hang out at East Lynn Park on Thursday afternoons.

This week’s wellness guest is Mary Ganzon of Counterbalance teaching a 3D workout at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. It is a workout that can be with you for your lifetime. Both sessions will be a half hour long. Come and talk to her about the programs at the studio!

CareerFit Mom is providing entertainment at the Market this week. Workout with your kids (ages 2 & up). Parents get a sweat-session while children engage in developmental exercises. Everyone has fun exercising together using unique moves, toys and games that brings out the kid in everyone! Drop in whenever you can – you’ll see Beth and her crew frolicking around near the north/east side of the park!

The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7:00 p.m. between June 5 – October 9 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the East Lynn Market Facebook page.

Volunteers Needed for Arts Fair

By now you’ve likely made sure your weekend plans involve stopping by the Danforth East Arts Fair. But if you have two hours to spare, the organizers are looking for volunteers for a variety of different roles – everything from sitting in a chair and talking to shoppers to helping the artists with set up and take-down of tents and supplies. Please click to find out more about volunteer openings.

Nordic Pole Walking Demo

Ever wonder about those people you see walking around with ski poles in the summer? Well you can get all your questions answered this Saturday in Monarch Park. Learn about the benefits of this low-impact for of physical activity with a nordic pole walking demo and clinic put on by Cool East Market (1390 Danforth Ave). See their flyer below for all the details.