Artist and craft enthusiast Sara Cowan attended a lot of markets to sell her creations, but never found the perfect one. “I wanted a market with a charitable component; small and not too loud, so people could bring really small children,” she says. So, with the help of her best friend and weaver J.D. McCoy, Deluxe Winter Market was born. This year, the event celebrates its tenth anniversary – and has come a long way from its humble beginnings.
Their first event included 35 vendors at OKC Farmers Market and was “kinda hodge-podge,” Cowan admits. “But it was all handmade, and we could tell it was the start of something exciting.” This year’s market on Nov. 25 is the first one organized by Cowan alone, and includes elements that have become family favorites, such as the Elf Market, a kid-only safe zone where youngsters can shop and help raise funds for this year’s chosen charity, The Curbside Chronicle.
Cowan said she always gets more applications from artists than she can accommodate, but strives to offer something different from each chosen artist. This year’s highlights include Regina Waters’ Native American rawhide leather jewelry, one of Sara’s personal favorites; handmade soap from a company run by 13-year-old Bella called Little Bubble; and Cowan’s 10-year-old son’s cat button creations – a business he has building since the age of 7. This year, he will be donating 10 percent of his profits to the Oklahoma Humane Society.
Moving away from live bands – which, according to Cowan, don’t get the attention they deserve at these events – entertainment has included a breakdancing contest and roller derby girls.
Visitors to the Leadership Square market can meet the creators behind their purchases, as all the artists and makers represent their own work, something Cowan has always insisted on. It’s “one unique thing about Deluxe,” she says.
So mark your calendar for an after-Thanksgiving collection of creativity – more information on this year’s event can be found at deluxeok.net
