ENGLEWOOD — A two-day Etsy Holiday Festival will bring free food, over $500 in prizes and lots of handmade items to the Englewood Exchange Plaza on Friday and Saturday.
The Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation will host the festival put on by Etsy.com, a website that sells handmade goods. The plaza, at 821 W. 63rd St., will transform into an open market both days from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Chicago Children’s Choir will perform Saturday at 11 a.m.
“This is the first time that Etsy is bringing the event to Englewood,” said Jennipher Adkins, who works with the Englewood organization.
More than 15 specialty vendors will be on site offering handmade products such as jewelry, lipstick and other cosmetics, and body scrubs and butter. Attendees can expect lots of baked goods as well.
The festival is an opportunity for artisans to show off their work, Adkins said. Instead of the usual vendor registration rate, they’ll enter something into the raffle, she said.
There will be a section for children to build toys.
“There’s something for the whole family,” Adkins said.
Organizers will raffle Monopolylike money for people to use on the products. Attendees will get a chance to win $50 twice a day. Each time a customer spends at least $10, he or she will receive a free food ticket. There will be gourmet soups and gumbo provided by Anita’s Gumbo and beer and wine available for purchase. There will also be vegan food samples.
