Patchwork Show is Dear Handmade Life’s bi-annual makers festival in several California cities showcasing local handmade and independent businesses alongside food, crafting, activities and more.

Vendors are selected through a jury process and feature a variety of items including clothing, handbags, accessories, jewelry, art, ceramics, home goods, plush products, crochet & knit items, pet gear, kits & patterns, apothecary items and more!

Patchwork Show is free to attend, family-friendly and happens rain or shine. Each location features special activities and crafting. Most projects are free unless otherwise noted and some may have a tip or donation jar. Only our outdoor events are dog friendly.

Join our mailing list and get notifications about upcoming shows or click here for current show info.

Generally, shows take place in the spring (May-June) and fall (November-December). Sign up for our newsletter for updates on when Patchwork Show is happening.

Click here for vendor information and to apply. Applications are only open specific times of year, click here to join our vendor mailing list so you can be notified as soon as we release applications.

We’re always looking for reliable friendly staff members for our shows! Click here to submit your info. We’ll be in touch if/when we have an open position for you.

We love showcasing bands at the show. We’ll provide you with a captive audience and you’re welcome to sell merch at the show too! Click here to submit your info. We’ll be in touch if/when we have an open position for you. 

We offer a limited number of booths to non-craft, service and non-profit businesses. Generally you must provide some type of activity or engaging demo in your booth. You can find more info on our vendor page.  

We love connecting like-minded brands with our large at-event and online audiences. You can find sponsorship info here. 

In 2008, after living in San Francisco for college and then in Los Angeles, Nicole Stevenson headed back to Orange County where she was raised. Then she moved in with her aunt Delilah Snell. As kids, the girls had dreamed of one day starting a business together but the time was never right.

Over a few glasses of wine on the patio, Nicole and Delilah talked about what was missing where they lived. Nicole had been running a handmade business and selling her goods at craft shows. Delilah had been working hard to cultivate community and had opened an eco-shop that served as a meeting place for education in food and the environment. Craft show veteran Nicole was getting tired of trekking to big cities for festivals and Delilah was frustrated with the lack of community art events in Orange County. Finally, they were both living in the same place and seeking the same thing… community, creativity and coolness in their hometown.

They started brainstorming and a few weeks later, they decided to produce a small craft show in the parking lot of Delilah’s shop in Santa Ana, California. They named the event Patchwork Show, to represent the heart, craft and the soul of the event: bringing together all types of people from the community to celebrate local creativity.

Although that first Patchwork Show had just 25 vendors, it was a hit and people were already asking when the next one was. The girls realized that it wasn’t just them who were yearning for a festival to celebrate creativity and community. Patchwork Show offers makers an affordable venue to show their goods, network and build their businesses and guests an opportunity to support local business and be a part of the creative community in their city.

Over the next decade, Delilah and Nicole juggled their own businesses while producing several Patchwork Show events in five cities with nearly 200 vendors at each event.

In 2017 Delilah stepped back from Dear Handmade Life to focus on her café and market Alta Baja Market in Santa Ana, California. Nicole still runs Patchwork Show with the assistance of the awesome Dear Handmade Life team.

They are grateful to have helped incubate hundreds of creative businesses who got their start at Patchwork Show and look forward to helping more creative entrepreneurs build their businesses..