FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Edmonton’s favourite eclectic design, craft, and art fair continues to support local artists with a safe and convenient online shop during the pandemic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Edmonton’s favourite eclectic design, craft, and art fair continues to support local artists with a safe & convenient online shop during the pandemic
April 21, 2021 • Edmonton, AB — The Royal Bison, Edmonton’s favourite twice- (and sometimes thrice-) annual eclectic design, craft, and art festival and sale, returns from April 30 to May 2, 2021 in order to help everyone—including everyone across Canada—find the perfect gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day! To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the craft fair will continue as an online hub for shoppers to find products from the best local designers and artists, with a few special guests from across Western Canada. For shoppers eager for an Amazon alternative that conveniently and safely mails and delivers packages to their doors, the Royal Bison’s online shop is the solution for welcoming new looks and gifts into your home for spring!
For this season’s fair, attendees eager to purchase some unique, local and high-quality wares are invited to visit royalbison.ca where they can browse items from over 120 vendors—more than ever before and more than could be crammed into an in-person fair! Powered by Shopify, the online shop makes it easy for anyone across Canada to take advantage of the incredible design work coming out of Edmonton as shipping costs are FREE. Vendors will mail items through Canada Post or offer local contactless delivery.
In 2020, the three online Royal Bison sales made significant contributions to the local economy and saw huge success for the independent vendors with over 160,000 unique customer visits to the website and over 10,000 multiple-item orders.
“The Royal Bison is an Edmonton creative institution. People mark their calendars for it every year, and so we knew we needed to continue to push the envelope of shopping local online during these strange times,” says head organizer Vikki Wiercinski. “It’s been exciting to watch the Royal Bison go viral (in a good way), and we hope this season’s event helps everyone kick their Amazon habit and shop local!”
With the eclectic mix of vendors, shoppers are sure to find the perfect created-in-Edmonton gift for their parents or themselves no matter their tastes! To help people shop conveniently from the comfort of their homes, vendors on the site will be searchable by name and category. On offer for those looking to re-decorate are bright ceramics by Jen Jong of jyj ceramics, publications and printmaking by Brianna Tosswill of Penrose Press, and artwork from musician Nico Humby. Or, if you know someone looking to redefine their look, they’ll love browsing hand-beaded earrings by Metis artist Kate Mosley of Bop & Bead, innovative accessories and lifestyle goods from from Glendon Ho of prvsns, jewellery from Esmahan Abdallah of Buno Design, and much much more. Make sure to find an exciting read for the bookworm in your life from Edmonton’s Glass Bookshop, which features queer, racialized, and local writers. Get some fun silkscreened textiles for kids and the home from Fenwick and Co, and check out the queer culture project Lonely Coyote by graphic designer Tracy Niven, who designed the fair’s Spring 2021 graphics.
Against the challenge of big-box stores and online retailers like Amazon—and a deadly and extremely contagious virus—the Royal Bison continues to offer a top-notch independent and local alternative, allowing customers to spend directly within their local community and engage with the people who make delightful goods.
Dates: April 30 – May 2, 2021
Hours: Shop launches at 5 p.m. (MST) on Friday, April 30, and closes at 5 p.m. (MST) on Sunday, May 2.
Location: Shop online at royalbison.ca, and follow along all weekend on Instagram @theroyalbison
About the Royal Bison Art & Craft Fair
Since 2007, the Royal Bison Art & Craft Fair has been a community-based, tightly curated pop-up event and sale that features the best and weirdest from the city’s designers and artists. The fair revels in all things local and independent and acts as a springboard and showcase for the area’s creative endeavours, as its low table fees ensure that the fair remains accessible for all vendors and welcomes a diverse crowd of makers.
Instagram, Twitter & Facebook: @theroyalbison
For interview inquiries, images, or more information about the Royal Bison & its vendors, please contact:
Matthew Stepanic
mstepani@ualberta.ca
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