The fact that this event has a "cover" or "entrance" charge kind of blew me away.(in a bad way) Â The only good thing about it was the fact that it was indoors on a cold day. Â The building that it was held in was a nice one but to pay a little under $10 per person to get in was a bit much in my opinion. Â The vendors were really great to look at and explore. Â They had really interesting items and a lot of their craftsmanship was quite amazing but like I said, the entrance fee just was not worth it in my opinion. Â They did have live music though and beer on draft for sale along with concession-stand foods like nachos, sandwiches, pastries etc.
Review Source:I've been going to the Christmas Bazaar for going on 4 years now.. every year is just as awesome as before. I love the live bands.. I love being able to get drinks while I do my shopping.
Anytime I have to do X-mas shopping is a bad day for me. Not so much if I am going to the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Here I saunter in get a beer and wonder around. Sure the prices are a bit higher than your typical street vendor shops, but most of the goods are still hand made and worth every cent.
Go here , spend a little extra money, get something hand made and get your buzz on and Christmas shopping doesn't seem so bad!
Is it just me? Am I just getting cranky with old age? Not sure, but with each passing year the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar seems a bit less special.
I decided to go to the ACB to buy some candles from Lights Out, an Austin company, for Christmas. I've bought them at the Bazaar before; my mom loves them. The Bazaar has been located the past few years at the Palmer Center whereas it used to be at the dark and funky - and entirely more fun - Austin Music Hall before. So the first disappointment is having to pay $7 to park in the garage (you might be lucky and find some of the few "free" parking spots left in Austin near the Dougherty Arts Center). Followed by either a $5 (before 7pm) or $8 (after 7pm) "cover" charge *before* you get to shell out your hard-earned Great Recession $$ for any gifts.
OK, I'm fine paying up to $15 to check out something that is well-organized, cool, crafty and with some good live music. However, my visit this month was disappointing. The music was good but I noticed that many of the vendors weren't even from Austin (let alone Texas) and that some of the 'crafts' were Asian factory-made crap. I can see such tchotchkes for FREE at the monthly craptastic 'market days' in Gruene or elsewhere. There are still a good number of Austin businesses offering good, locally-made stuff for gifts but more and more vendors are art galleries selling paintings, sculpture, etc - I saw a $6K banana sculpture this year (!) - and others selling stuff found just about anywhere.
Anyway, I found the candles I was looking for and listened to a band before leaving the ACB. I left wondering if yet another Austin 'brand' has sold out to mediocrity. Perhaps a renewed commitment to local artists and a finding a venue without a charge for parking would make this a much better event.
Pros:
- Lots of talented artists & craftsmen.
- Great items to buy.
- Mostly decent music.
Cons:
- $8 per person. Really?
- Not enough reasonably priced items (probably a direct result of high booth fees).
We used to go every year & have purchased many gifts there. Not any more.
Pass.
Duped by the ruse of tradition, I went here yet another year in a row with my mom. Once again we felt like fools for trying it out! This is a show for the big budget art buyer, which we are not.
And some of the art is much less discriminating than others: $55 for a wheel-thrown coffee mug, REALLY??? And the handle was not even comfortable. I would not want such a gift bestowed upon me. I would feel taken for a fool. $55 for a Soto mug, maybe! but a Soto mug is high quality + art + 60 years of local history. & even then that's an expensive mug!
Such high pricing is found throughout the event.
Before I get bitched at for complaining about Artist's Prices and the Artist's Prerogative, let me assure you my review is coming from a background in working with art materials and growing up with artists (in Austin, no less).
I really wonder what drives the sellers to mark such high prices. Â Who do they think comes to this event? Poor old Original South Austinites can recognize quality, and in several instances the price did not match the expertise. Am I alone here? Â
However, as an art show with rockin' tunes, Â I reckon I'm a fan.
I loved the large Texas watercolors on canvas (priced reasonably for real art). I also do enjoy seeing what new handmade metal critters with moving parts pop-up each year. I just can't buy any of it for anyone!
And as usual, there are vendors which also have year-round store fronts in town, which I am missing the point of. Â They are stores I love- Â just usually don't pay to shop at them.
All said, since it is an Austin Tradition, and my mom and I are Native Austinites, we have to go and buy one of the few affordably priced things on display (namely, the copper framed double-sided art mirrors- which we have collected quite a few of by now).
I just hope by the time I can afford the big $$ stuff I like, that I will be able to find these people again.
Soooo ... until next year, Armadillo Crafts Bazaar- smell ya later!
Ok, I know it's months before Christmas but this is a review of the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar I went to last year and I wanted to share it with everyone.
  I wish this bazaar happened more than once a year. Most of the artists/sellers were friendly, and funny. One artist showed me here portfolio, and gave me excellent tips on creating wire sculptures(I'm an artist too).
  They have unique stuff there also, like obsidian stone wind chimes and metal paintings.
  The negatives: I had to pay $7.00 to park, then around $7.00 per person to get into the show. The walking from your car to the show is far. Before I left the bazaar, I had to sit down and rub my feet because I spent 2 hours standing/walking(but I do have arthritis so it might be easier for the average person). My last complaint, the live music. It's so loud that it makes it difficult to talk to the sellers. I would like it if the bands/singers only played after 5pm so I can go there in the morning to avoid it(bring ear plugs if loud music gives you headaches).
  I still would put up with the negatives because this the best Christmas bazar in town. The artists were so friendly, and their divine wares made me spend over my budget.
I've been to the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar several times in the past, but I'm finding as the years go on that each year there are fewer and fewer affordable gifts. Â We did find a couple of interesting things this year, but most of the items we liked were several hundred dollars or even up into the thousands. Â I agree with the others that there are the same artists there year after year. Â I also always go with the intention of doing my Christmas shopping, but walk out empty-handed. Â
I do like some of the bands. Â My favorite this year was the Asleep at the Wheel quartet. Â That justified the price for us, but I do also agree that the show is making TONS of money off the artists, so I don't understand why they charge a cover. Â The food and beverages are overpriced. Â The fact that you have to pay for parking is ridiculous. Â
And I would really appreciate more Austin artists. Â It does seem like there are a lot of people from out of state. Â There was a Japanese artist with some beautiful wall sculptures. Â And some nice painters. Â But I think that there needs to be a larger selection of "smaller" items that are budget-friendly. Â One booth had very commercial metal lunchboxes with Hello Kitty on them...really? Â At an Austin art festival? Â Gimme a break! Â We've got OODLES of original art here in Austin.
I went to the Bazaar with my companion this year. Â We strolled around leisurely, drinking beer, listening to music, and enjoying all the booths. Â I am disappointed that it seems more of the vendors aren't local like they used to be, but there was some lovely stuff (also some stuff that struck me as waaaay overpriced).
We spent more time than we'd originally intended, but it was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Â And most of my gifts from companion ended up coming from there, which was fine with me!
I wanted to like the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, but I didn't. Â I paid $7 to park, $4 to get in, and $12 for a disappointing lunch. Â I was expecting tamales, tacos, barbeque, etc. but instead there was a disappointing selection of sandwiches. Â The music was just okay, the merchandise was expensive and ho-hum. Â There was a cute booth set up for people to take their own pictures. Â I think it needed more variety in the merchandise, both in type of goods sold and in price. Â There needs to be food tastings, like fudge and jellies and sauces, that type of thing. Â Overall, I would say it was an unimaginative event.
Review Source:I've not been to Blue Genie, and I have no idea if the same artists show here year after year since this was my first time. However, if one was running this here show, there is no question that I can say with some authority that a lot of the crafty stuff shown here is no great shakes. That doesn't mean it's poorly made stuff; there's just not much that is really wowzer-ish. I suspect that it being an 'xmas' and 'traditional' and 'armadillo' bazaar here in Austin, there are certain elements they want in there to prevent it from turning into a possibly less-warm-seeming "holy crap this is a total freakshow!" Bizarre. Â Thus, I was fairly certain what I was going to see when I went in there.
If you go on a weekday before 7pm, admission is $4. After that it cranks up, and then if the limited street parking is nixed, you probably have to pay to park in the garage. Â You also have to pay for bottled water if you don't want to go out to a restroom/water fountain, which is annoying ($3.50 when the beer is $4.50!). But otherwise, in terms of these kinds of things, the layout was really nice, the merchants all seemed up to par, and the music setup on the stage sounded ridiculously good considering these are people once again forced to play in essentially a concrete and metal box.
The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, imho, is probably one of the best of these kinds of things I could expect to see - being that they want it to feel kinda Austiny and Texas-y and armadillo-y. Â But as a guy who appreciates more in the wack "dude, that is some crazy shit right there" vs. "family friendly" arena, I think they could go a bit more in that direction.
The Dillo Bazaar is an Austin tradition and I for one am glad it's still rolling after all these years. Â I have been around long enough to remember when it used to be in the Dillo and now with it's new digs in the convention center....some things have changed. Â However, the people have not. Â Suz and I go every year and always purchase many of our Christmas gifts here. Â There are many vendors who offer gifts for under $25. Â There are also your high end art and goodies.
Some great memories include...always saying hi to the original Carmen Banana from the old Austin Access tv days...some of you older folks might remember this character. Â We then head over to David Busch and pick up our annual tree ornament, followed by Fred Tate and look at his newest jewelery creations. I hate to date myself, but I have a couple of his bolo's... remember those things..they go great with my parachute pants. Â We pass the bar and pick up a drink...okay we do that several times. Â Today we find an excellent framed print from Jay Long and a wonderful sculpture from Brad and Sundie Ruppert of Vintage Sculpture.... we buy both.
We find a new artist, Major Mosaics and Suz finds two beautiful hand made tiles for her sisters... at $45 a piece, it's a real find for a one of a kind tile. Â Her sisters will love what she found. Â There are home made toys and clothes..and it's fun for me to see Art Schoenig who hasn't seemed to age a bit in all these years. Â We have several of his lizards and metal flowers around our home.
Oh and what is that I hear...why it's live music from who.. Terri Hendricks and Lloyd Maines....yes, that's friggin Lloyd Maines an icon for a $6 entry fee.. I CRAP YOU NEGATIVE! Â Oh you could hang all day or leave and come back later in the evening to check out another band.. happens to be Van Wilks tonight. Â Now that doesn't suck.
Although the convention center is as modern and crisp as you can get and it's a long throw from the original Dillo..it works, It's Fabulous and It's what began the weirdness in Austin. Â It brings back so many wonderful memories from the old days...
Xmas at the 'Dillo, going on for 34 years now. I haven't been to the show since the first year move to the Austin Convention center. Â I echo some of the earlier comments about how the show had gotten stale. Â That is until this year. Â There are more than just a few new vendors. Â It's changed over enough to make you think this was a brand new show. Â The layout has improved and makes much more sense. Â The booths that were mainly local store merchants are mostly gone, having been replaced with Artists and Craftsmen who actually make their own wares. Â The vibe is definitely different in a very good way. Â Got to go, Brave Combo just started up again.
Review Source:I've been going to this since I moved to Austin which was 13 years ago, the first few times it was nice but I am tired of seeing the same exact artists year after year and even in the new venue this year it still is hopelessly redundant of years past. If you have out of towners they will probably like it but I for one made a decision that this year is my last.
Review Source:I've lived in Austin 23 years. Â In '83 it was pretty sleepy, lots of tie-dye and birks, rents so low and underutilized you could get a VCR for signing a 6-month lease.
We all know what happened the last decade or so.
I went to the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar and suddenly i found the Austinites i've been missing for so long, the ones crowded out of hyde park and the other university neighborhoods by the Crushing Influx of Wealth. Â The artists and musicians, new agers and hippies - oh my lost friends!
It was great to just walk around and gawk and look and remember Austin as it was.
SENSORY OVERLOAD!
I'm an art snob and wasn't amazingly impressed with most of the things. My mom, who is an artist and not a snob, was.
Cover is annoying. Paying for parking in addition is a mess. Most people left with nothing in their hands.
Unique idea, but I didn't find anything that really got me super excited ( except for this one man who made art out of metal and some mixed media collage type art.)
My mom bought an umbrella shaped like a turtle.
Maybe go for a beer and some live tunes?
I have to agree with Alexandra on this one. Â Yes, it's an Austin tradition, and I like the idea of having live bands to entertain you while you shop, but the idea of paying a cover charge to get into a place where they want you to buy things just annoys me. Â Plus, it's the same vendors year after year after year. Â I've been probably 3-4 times over the years and have probably bought less than that many things there. Â Go instead to one of the other similar events - the Blue Genie Art Bazaar, the Cherrywood Art Fair, the Wheatsville Art Festival...all of them have fabulous, handmade items at similar or lower prices and there's no cover charge, so you can buy more when you get there!
Review Source:If you favor the most obscure of the most underground, like me, then you might not find what you're looking for at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Â I've been there twice, and there are pretty much all the same things you'd find at the Pecan Street Festival, the Congress Avenue Bat Festival - really, any of the many festivals that happen around Austin. Â So, why pay a cover?
Also, while I support the local art scene, I feel that the booths get repetitive after a while, and a lot of ends up being chintzy, overpriced, or too "Renaissance Fair" anyway. Â I'd rather head to Blue Genie for really unique and cool stuff again this year...
Another Austin yearly event.
Dec. 9th - 24th
11AM until 11PM each day
Every year I go, and most years, I find just one thing I just had to give someone. Seems each year, another booth or two gets taken up by someone that imports instead of makes their own stuff, to me that's a shame. Wish it was required that items be crafted by the artist renting the booth in order to have a stall at this Austin tradition. There are still enough of those to keep me coming back each year, just to see what changes some of the artists made over the year.
Potters, painters wood carvers and misc. others.
They have - Full bar to get liquiored up, live music to shop by, standard craft fair over priced eats to keep your stength up while shopping, and a truely eclectic crowd of people in and out of the stalls to keep you entertained.
For the price of admission - all in all not a bad show.
Week Day admission before 7:00 P.M. $3.00
After 7:00 P.M. and weekends $ 5.00
Another "Keep Austin Wierd Event" Â ya'll come hear!
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