Local artists sell their craft at the Teton Valley Art Market every week in Driggs.
Around 40 tents pop up every Saturday morning on the plaza outside City Hall. Many booths sell handmade goods and artistry, such as leather, glass, paintings, jewelry, photography and other products.
The market started because founder Nacie Miller wanted a place for artists to sell their goods.
The market has grown over the years.
“We have like 45 vendors on our regular season vendor list, and we have another 35 to 45 on our drop-in list and they call us every week to see if there’s room,” Miller said.
Originally, Miller thought the market would get around 10 vendors a week, but it quickly grew larger than anticipated.
As word of the artist venue spread, more people joined.
“As vendors told their friends and then they had friends that were artists [they] called me and they were like, hey I want to come, and we were like, sure we’ll make room,” Miller said.
The space outside City Hall is only so large. Every week, large numbers of artists look to sell their crafts, but Miller has capped those numbers because of space limitations.
Around 45 vendors can fill the space each week.
Most markets are seasonal, but Miller wanted a year-round space available for artists to sell.
When the snow is blowing in the winter, the market moves in-doors to the Driggs City Hall building.
During those months, space is limited to only 15 vendors. But that doesn’t stop the local artists from selling their products.
“I give my regular season vendors two or three opportunities to pick a weekend, and then we have room for some drop-in vendors,” Miller said.
She gives priority to the regular season vendors who pay annually to sell. They get first-come, first-served preference to reserve a spot. Then the rest is filled with artists on the reserve list. This is how she spreads the love to all interested artists.
If an artist is interested in selling, all they have to do is call Miller.
“If you call me two weeks ahead, you’re for sure getting a spot,” Miller said. “If you call me Friday night to see if you can do it Saturday, well the odds are not good.”
She puts the drop-in artists on a list and when there’s an opening, she starts calling from that list.
Just a week ago, 13 drop-in artists showed up to the fair because many regular-season artists were in Jackson for an art fair. Two of those vendors were two 12-and 13-year-olds.
“I have vendors anywhere from 5 years old, to 93,” Miller said.
Earlier this month, an 89-year-old man pulled up in his truck travelling from an art show on the west coast back home to Michigan, he asked to pop in for the day and sold his works.
“We set him up and he was there for the day,” Miller said. “We’ll probably never see him again.”
Many local artists are interested in selling handmade jewelry. Because of the high demand, Miller has a cap on jewelry artists.
“We really don’t want to turn into just a jewelry show,” Miller said.
They do not, however, have a baker. Food artisans are welcome at the fair and Miller says there’s an opening.
The fair runs every Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair is outdoors in the Driggs City Hall Plaza throughout the summer and fall, and indoors in the Driggs City Hall building in the winter.
For more information, go to tetonvalleyartmarket.com or check out their Facebook page.