ATL Free Fair to offer art, entertainment, discussion and food

It’s summer, which means Atlanta’s festival season is in full swing, but on Aug. 3, Atlantans will flock to East Atlanta Village for a different kind of festival. Attendees will enjoy food, music, shopping, and an incredible lineup of skill shares, discussions, crafts, and more – all completely for free.  ATL Free Fair is a seasonal mutual aid fair, bringing people together to learn, play, and collaborate in what organizer Sasha Von Hanna calls an “antidote to despair.” Von Hanna and other organizers started the fair back in November, inspired by the queer Latinx collective Mariposas Rebeldes and their Dandelion Festival as well as Adrienne Maree Brown’s “Emergent Strategy.” The event serves as a third space rooted in the tenet of collective joy as an act of resistance.  “I just really believe in the healing power of collaborative learning, movement, art, and sharing and playing and being with nature,” Von Hanna told Rough Draft. “There is a real, vital need for people to feel connected and feel a sense of belonging. These are very alienating times.”  Fair goers will find preloved goodies at the community free sale – bring what you no longer need, take what you do. They’ll enjoy free food from the Nu HeART Collective, High Mountain Bread, GOAP, and Fleur and Forage and live entertainment ranging from folk music and local performers to puppet shows and an open talent show. They’ll swap seeds and zines, craft and play together, get damaged clothes mended, and with more than 20 free conversations, skill shares and more, they’ll leave with more knowledge than they showed up with. The schedule includes The Queerness of Birds, Uncertain Futures in an AI World, Circle Processes for Transforming Conflict in Community, ATL Jail Supports, and Go Bags with Science for Georgia.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by atlFREEfair (@atlfreefair) ATL Free Fair is a collaborative effort. Organizations and individuals who know they have something to share reach out to Von Hanna and other organizers, or the organizers approach people in their circles who have something valuable to provide. All are welcome, whether you have money to donate, an abundance to share, or only a skill and 20 minutes. While Von Hanna leads most of the fair organizing, her collaborators coordinate the food, free ride sharing, and more – and they’re always in need of help. ATL Free Fair welcomes new organizers and is looking for a leadership team for the autumn fair. Those interested can email [email protected]. The summer ATL Free Fair is Sunday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market. Masks are required during activities. To RSVP (so they know how many people to feed), visit bit.ly/summeratlfreefair. To volunteer, visit bit.ly/summerfairvolunteer. The post ATL Free Fair to offer art, entertainment, discussion and food appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.