The Little Craft Show is Arkansas’ most talked about indie craft show that takes place three times a year in Northwest Arkansas and now once a year in Little Rock! Our outdoor spring event takes place in historic downtown Springdale, Arkansas while our holiday markets happen in Fayetteville, Bentonville, and Little Rock, Arkansas.
Not only is The Little Craft Show the best place to check off your lists by purchasing amazing handmade gifts, but it’s an art and craft experience unlike any other. With it’s inviting atmosphere, juried indie crafters, small-town feel, exciting playlists, and art installations, The Little Craft Show strives to seek out and provide the best of the best for both it’s makers and patrons. Expect high-quality, affordable products and the cutest booths you’ve ever seen.
Northwest Arkansas and it’s surrounding regions house a thriving craft and independent artists community. We are simply a hub for these makers to come together and showcase their fine, hand-crafted goods and wares.
Each artist is juried and chosen from among many talented applicants to appear in the Little Craft Show where he or she will feature their own original work. A high priority will always be given to the most innovative, emergent, and unique do-it-yourself driven artists that have imaginative and often alternative products. Whether you’re an established artist or just getting started, everyone is encouraged to apply!
The Little Craft Show was founded in 2011 by Amber Perrodin and Natalie Freeman as a fun, “little” event for us to sell our handmade products with our closest friends. We had a small venue, a handful of crafty friends, and a few extra spaces to fill. We knew that if we opened up applications to the public, we could curate a beautiful shopping experience with some incredible local and handmade goods to choose from. The response was amazing.
Much to our surprise, we began receiving applications from all over Northwest Arkansas and even a few from out of state within just a few weeks of announcing our “little craft show”! We quickly realized in our first year that this was something that we needed to continue. After experiencing 600 shoppers in 2011, a whopping 4,000+ in 2012 & 2013 and most recently, over 8,000 shoppers in 2016, our instincts were right!
Amber Perrodin
Founder | Creative Director
Amber founded TLCS in 2011 and has been daydreaming about this event ever since. Equipped with a degree in printmaking, a love for small business, and an affinity for social media, Amber ensures that the quality of TLCS is never compromised. Beyond TLCS, Amber is also the cofounder of Perrodin Supply Co., Team Springdale, and the Creative Social Retreat.
Monica Diodati
Managing Director
Monica hails from Dallas, TX, where she organized a series of makers’ markets under her company, Little D Markets. She also works as a Project Manager with The Better Block to bring walkability and quality of life to the forefront of the urban planning process. With a love for camping and hiking, she decided to move to NWA to be closer to the outdoors, and was pleased to find an active makers’ community here at the The Little Craft Show. Monica is the cofounder of Two Friends Books & Records, La Vita é Velo, and Bentonville SOUP.
Merritt Wakefield
Social Media & Marketing Manager
Merritt is a writer, social media fanatic, and former small business owner. Producing content for TLCS to showcase the remarkable talents of its many makers is a dream come true for Merritt, who has photo strips from several previous TLCS events hanging on her fridge. The founder of Merriment and the Pony Express Supper Club, Merritt has a penchant for stationery and will find any excuse to throw a dinner party. A native of Northwest Arkansas, Merritt currently lives in Tulsa with her husband and toddler in a home flecked with special TLCS finds.