The Story of Stuff: Little Flea 2010 Season Opens Saturday, April 3

As a consumer society, in some way or another, we are constantly dealing with stuff. Today we understand that the stuff of life -- those objects of desire and necessity -- have a life of their own, a lifetime that, for good or bad, may very well outlive ours. Slowly but surely, as we learn more and more about the not so bright side of our faulty systems of production and consumption, an empowering public discourse and pragmatic solutions are springing up all over the place to address some of these issues in small and big ways.

At Little Flea, one of the things we want to do is to tell the story of stuff and to help ease in a small, but effective way our complicated relationship with the stuff around us. What's best is that we can do it together. So, together we recycle our stuff among us: some finding use for them as is; others seeing potential for creative re-use or upcycle, imbuing new life into once destitute, forgotten objects. Ultimately, our mission is to contribute to the sustainability of our community by providing a space for local vendors, artists, and neighbors to gather and share, as well as to serve as a modest economic catalyst for entrepreneurs and our growing business district at large.

The first, full-fledged Lawrenceville Little Flea season kicks off this coming Saturday, April 3, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the corner of 36th. + Butler St. A curated environment made to fit our eclectic neighborhood, the market features a rotating variety of flea fare, handmade goods, food and cultural activities.

As we mentioned in the previous post, this season we are expanding the scope and breadth of cultural activities to enhance our mission. Every Saturday, the new Cultural Corner at Little Flea presents local Western Pennsylvania artists who come out to share their talents with the community -- from live music, dance, and spoken word to art exhibits, performance, and educational/wellness workshops. The Cultural Corner will come alive at 11 a.m.

Make Lawrenceville part of your Saturday plans! See you at the flea.

We'd like to leave you with The Story of Stuff, the acclaimed film by Annie Leonard that takes us on an eye-opening animated journey through the different life cycles of the products we voraciously consume.




Photo: visitors shop for recycled art pieces by Braddock artist Victoria Hruska