Discover Venice 2023-2024
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1512151
PHOTO BY ED SCOTT Kiera Light sells her artwork at the Nokomis Art & Craft Market. Nokis Art Mket n in 9th ye By Ed Scott T hey remember her only as "Brandi" and that she started the Nokomis Art & Craft Market almost a decade ago. After that, her former colleagues' memories fade. Brandi was working as a waitress at Café Evergreen about nine years ago when she decided that Nokomis needed an arts and craft market. "She was very clever and she was a good marketer," said Judi Light, owner of the nearby Cottage Art Gallery, and a member of that small community for about nine years. Brandi had already run a few other art markets before, when she approached Rum Runners Antiques owner Dan Simic – who owns much of the property on the block – about letting her use the common areas for her market concept. She also hoped Light would help her. Brandi left the area not long after opening the market, but the Nokomis Art and Craft Market lives on, having begun its ninth season in October. About 30 vendors participate in the market, which is held the third Saturday of each month, October through March. (A good GPS destination is the Cottage Art Gallery, 106 Pocono Trail E., in Nokomis.) Billed as "a fun day out!", the market features art, antiques, crafts, music and refreshments. They include free coffee, bottled water and cookies and donuts 'til they're gone. Pete Brewer of Pete's Eats is on hand to dish out fresh Maine lobster rolls. Simic, a native of Germany who moved to the United States 20 years ago, says the market is a big hit with local customers. Their goal for the market was to have it be an extension of downtown Venice for tourists and locals alike. "It's a nice local event for Nokomis that creates kind of a little destination," Simic said, adding that the fare they offer "makes it kind of different." The market is located behind PHOTO BY ED SCOTT Former area resident Michele Weeks, who now lives in Tampa, comes back down to southwest Florida to sell her cookies at the Nokomis Art & Craft Market. Her business is called All Occasion Cookies. 04 Discover Venice