This Massive Event Celebrating Canadian Artisans is Going Virtual

by Pahull Bains

One Of A Kind, the biannual event celebrating craft and its makers, was scheduled to hold its Spring Show in Toronto from March 25 to 29. In light of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing measures, the show was initially postponed and then eventually cancelled. As an event that spotlights Canadian small businesses—across fashion, beauty, food, home and more—One Of A Kind is a true celebration of craftsmanship. In an effort to continue supporting artisans across Canada during this difficult time, the show has decided to go digital.

From now until April 30, followers of @ooak_toronto on Instagram can enjoy daily virtual tours of the event through Instagram Stories⁣. Each 2020 Spring Show artisan will be featured over the next few weeks, with a swipe up to their websites making it super easy to shop. The virtual shows will take place every day from 12 to 2pm EST, and every feature will be archived to their Instagram Story highlights so you can revisit each ‘booth’ if you missed them live the first time around.

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Today would have marked our first ever ????? ??? at #ooak20.⁣ ⁣ Though we can’t be together in person today we are still committed to providing a place where makers & lovers of craft can learn, connect & celebrate the legacy of Canadian craft together!⁣ ⁣ We have created a page of resources to help everyone in our community through this difficult time. Head to the link in our bio and click on ??????? ???? ????? ?????? to discover ways to strengthen your small business, learn about community initiatives, or even just ways to get creative at home! ⁣ ⁣ We are reaching out to you and our Friends of OOAK – from makers & partners to our committed fans & followers – to come together in support of the creative community. If you know of an local initiative or stay at home activities you feel are important to share then please post it and tag @ooak_toronto or #BeTheButterflyEffect. We will re-share & post to our page so that everyone in our community can benefit. ⁣ ⁣ Thank you to #ooak20 exhibitor @lightandpaperali for lending us this image, which says it all! ?⁣

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“Our One Of A Kind makers and their livelihoods have been deeply affected by the outbreak of COVID-19,” reads a statement from the event’s organizers. “As creative entrepreneurs, exhibitors play a vital role in fostering community diversity and economic vitality across Canada. We are saddened by the fact that we cannot host our Spring Show in 2020, but it is our hope that through our digital platforms we will be able to bring you a few moments a day to unite, share, and celebrate creativity.”

Day 1 of the virtual shows featured over a dozen food vendors, including Going Nuts, a family-owned business from Calgary specializing in handmade nut milk, granola and nut butters; Ottawa-based Alicja Confections, known for its Insta-worthy beautifully packaged chocolate bars; and Le Bruloir, an ethical specialty coffee vendor from Montreal.

Now, more than ever, Canada’s small business community needs our support. Head to OOAK’s Instagram page to be instantly connected to hundreds of vendors around the country, making it easier than ever before to #shoplocal and help get our favourite artisans and craftspeople through this difficult time. For more ideas on how to support Canadian businesses, check out our roundup here.

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