‘It’s been too long without Supercrawl’: The festival is back in full swing
The city's favourite festival has returned and it felt like the first day of summer. There was food, arts and beer gardens galore for the people of Hamilton.
Supercrawl kicked off with a market featuring dozens of local craft vendors, over 30 food trucks along James Street North, restaurants with custom menus and concerts.
Watercolour artist Emily Harrignton was experiencing her first year at the festival. It's my second year doing Art Crawl but my first Supercrawl. It's pretty great to be here."
John Edmond, a ceramics crafter and graphic artist from Hamilton at the Supercrawl market, said he enjoys attending the festival to sell his work, but also to share his travel stories and meet people.
Supercrawl is a really good experience and a good chance for people to come out and meet each other," said Edmond.
Katie Corrie, a local illustrator was also at Supercrawl's market, makes acrylic paintings that aim to foster body positivity.
I'm here with my best-friend and we are having a great time. This is our first Supercrawl so we are really excited," said Corrie.
Kaile Glick, owner of the Spontaneous Prose Store, was writing poetry for Supercrawlers in front of Far Side Bar and experiencing their first Supercrawl after years of trying to participate.
I'm so stoked to be here and shoutout to Far Side Bar for inviting me," said Glick.
Synonym's chef Frankie Colavecchia was shucking oysters for customers at the restaurant's seafood pop-up.
We are having an excellent time. It's awesome to be back after three years of no Supercrawl," said Colavecchia.
Big D, owner of Architect Hotdog design on James North, running for the reader's choice of best hotdog in town, was feeding a crowd of hungry Supercrawlers.
It's been too long without Supercrawl. I thought it was going to be busy but I might eat my words later," said Big D with never ending customers lining up for hotdogs and his top-secret blue relish.
Ted Van Egdom, chair of fundraising for the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS) was at the festival as volunteer, bringing awareness to the initiative.
Supercrawl has been a great opportunity for us to open the shelter concept to people who are walking down the street here at the festival. It's been educational, a lot of people don't recognize there is a crisis in Hamilton," said Van Egdom. Our idea and hope here is that we can raise much needed funds for us to have this in place before the snow flies this year."
Headlining TD Stage on the first day of Supercrawl were Defining Movement Dance, putting on a show and making the crowd dance to hip hop beats, Pleasure Craft, Dearly Beloved, the Hidden Cameras, JJ Wilde and the Dirty Nil.
Exclaim! stage opened with Eamon McGrath, Queen Cee with GSSO & Duckai, Kiera Boult, Shawnee Kish, TRP. P and Colombian-Canadian Lido Pimienta.
Supercrawl moments
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Beatriz Baleeiro is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator bbaleeiro@torstar.ca