The folks at the ImadeIt Market may have had their valentine’s day show at the Union Project canceled due to the snowmageddon that took over Pittsburgh back in February but they are back with an awesome way to chase away the winter chills – Chili Contest!

Here is the deal – Joseph Beth Books has moved out of their space on Carson Street – to a smaller space across the street -so on Saturday, April 10 – the I Made It market will take over the old Joseph Beth Space and turn it into a Chili spectacular and handmade market.

I Made It! Market, Pittsburgh’s nomadic indie crafts marketplace, joins with the SouthSide Works for a Spring Arts & Chili Festival on April 10 from 2 – 8 pm.

More than 50 regional crafters will join together to create a pop-up marketplace inside the former Joseph Beth Bookseller space, on the corner of 27th and Carson Streets, which will also include a Kids Korner. Outside will be live entertainment and a chili festival complete with a celebrity judged chili competition.

Chili with the Works on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=349630274842

Popping into Vacant Spaces

These pop-up markets are litterally popping up all over the place  and it is a great way to reuse vacant spaces and bring communities together at the same time – who knows maybe bringing new faces to vacant spaces will inspire some new tenants too.

• Pop Up Pittsburgh was an event organized last year to highlight things happening in uptown, this year they will be popping up in another neighborhood – the Pittsburgh event was inspired by an event in Cleveland – another great idea shared through GLUE – Great Lakes Urban Exchange.
• In January, Chris Brogan, one of my favorite writers on social media,  linked to a post about Gap pop up shops
• Here is another post and there are many others  about pop up galleries in vacant spaces
• Art Dimensions Pittsburgh (Art Dimensions Pittsburgh on Facebook)  – is an artist space that has taken over the old PNC Bank building on the corner of Penn and Highland in East Liberty.  The idea was brought to Pittsburgh by Dan Friedson who was involved with Art Dimensions in St. Louis.

What other pop up shops do you know about?  Is there a space in Pittsburgh that is ripe for a pop up event?