Main Street came alive with color, creativity and connection as local artisans filled the streets at Grand Junction’s annual Downtown Art Festival on Oct. 3 and 4.
On the first day of the event, vendors set up stands with the kind of handmade charm that only a small town in Colorado can offer. From herbal blends and pottery to literary performances, this year’s festival captured the heart of community craftsmanship.
At one booth, artist Chloe Dunnigan of And Again Herbal Co. smiled as she arranged small jars of hand-mixed herbs and set out art prints beneath her tent. She explained the business was born from “a lot of trial and error.” It’s name, “And Again” reflects her personal journey with creative restarts.
“It’s all been very experimental,” Dunnigan said. “Each blend has a slightly different purpose. You can drink it like tea or use it in a bath soak. The body does a really good job of absorbing all the benefits from the earth.”
Across the street, co-owner of DC Handcrafted Dale Jablonski leaned against a wooden display lined with mugs, spoons and bowls, each piece smooth, sturdy and made by hand.
“We’ve been doing this about 15 years,” Jablonski said laughing. “It’s very addicting. You make stuff and then you’ve got to clear your house out or you turn into a hoarder.”
What started as a hobby turned into a shared passion and now it is an “occupational therapy” for Jablonski and his wife.
“We’re both retired, so this keeps us doing things with our time,” Jablonski said.
A few booths down. the creativity shifted from crafts to community with Geek Parties of the Grand Valley, a nonprofit dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive space for fans of all things nerdy.
“A lot of us are neurodivergent or disabled,” Board member Bronwyn Wynter said. “It’s a space where we can be exactly who we are without hiding parts of ourselves.”
Wynter explained that the organization was founded to bring people together through shared passions, whether for theatre, video games or literature.
Geek Parties of the Grand Valley’s current project, “Poe’s Poison Pen,” is a month-long celebration of Edgar Allan Poe which featured interactive performances and themed events hosted throughout the Grand Valley.
“People think of Poe just for his spooky stories,” she said, “but he also wrote love poems and even created the detective genre. There’s so much more to him than people realize.”
Geek Party events are held at venues across the valley, from the Radio Room in Grand Junction to the Cavalcade in Fruita.
“We want to connect people through the things they love,” Wynter said. “We have a whole tea party that we made just for sparkly clothing. So it is if you have something that you love that you want other people to know about or celebrate or just be able to ramble!”
Wynter finished off by detailing the group’s most prominent mission.
“We are for the people who just want to love their things and talk to other people about them.”
Whether it’s through the earthy aroma of Chloe’s herbal teas, the satisfying weight of Dale’s hand-turned mugs or the laughter brought about by performances from Geek Parties of the Grand Valley, the Downtown Art Festival continues to show that the heart of Grand Junction’s creativity beats strongest when locals share what they love.
