The stretch of Harvard Avenue between Brighton and Cambridge streets closed down for the first time since 2019 for the return of the annual Allston Village Street Fair Sept. 29.
The fair featured over 65 small businesses, musical artists, performers and food trucks. From leatherworkers to clothing designers, to screen printers and even handmade coaster crafters, there was a wide variety of craftsmanship and entertainment for attendees.
One of those artisans was Dave Tree, an eye-catching creator who was stationed prominently at the front of the fair. Tree works in many mediums including painting, collage, sculpture, photography and music. However, during the fair, he sold handmade silk-screened T-shirts. The T-shirts featured provocative designs and messages such as “arm the homeless,” and “make Boston sh**y again,” along with other Boston-themed designs and T-shirts for his band “Tree.”
In contrast to Tree’s booth, Patricia Reyes had a more unassuming booth featuring her candles that had been poured into vintage glassware. The pieces were all unique, with a wide array of scents to choose from. Reyes’ company is named “Hecho A Mano,” or “Made by Hand” in English.
Close to Reyes’ booth was the main stage where music was played. Local musician Eli Yacinthe played with his band in the 1:35 to 2:30 p.m. time slot, filling the block with the melodic sounds of trumpet, saxophone, bass, drums, guitar and smooth vocals.
A crowd favorite event was The North Horde, Boston’s armored combat steel fighting team, practicing their Buhurt-style fighting. The group set up a ring just off the main street on Harvard Terrace, where sets of two knights would face off in one-minute rounds, battling with blunt force objects like swords and axes. At the end of each round, the winner was decided by the volume of the audience’s cheers, a thoughtful way to engage the crowd.
The gathering centered around art and music brought out the best in the community. Following the fair’s four-year hiatus as a result of the pandemic, contentment could be seen all around, from attendees to artists.
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