Chicago Vintage Festival is opportunity for unique finds
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Photo: Courtesy of Chicago Vintage Festival.
The hunt for something truly unique and discounted at a consignment or thrift store is one of my greatest thrills in life.
- And there's a weekend of thrills ahead, fellow shoppers.
The big picture: The Chicago Vintage Festival this weekend will feature 50 vendors selling clothes, jewelry, homewares and ephemera.
What to expect: CVF hosts pop-ups that "feel like a party," complete with music, food and a place to connect with fellow vintage fans.
Flashback: Ashley Guizar founded the festival as a series of pop-ups in 2022 as a way to support local businesses post-COVID, including her father's shop, Pilsen Vintage.
- The first events had about 7,000 attendees, Guizar tells Axios, but now can attract up to 60,000.
Zoom out: Thrift shoppers are motivated by a range of factors, whether as a way to live more sustainably or reduce expenses, as Americans struggle with the cost of living.
- Others do it to buy well-made products of the past that buck today's cheap, fast fashion trends.
- Consignment and vintage shopping is also a way to buy designer brands at a more affordable price point — think Poshmark, Net-a-Porter or The RealReal.
Reality check: Many of these items can still be pretty pricey — like a 1970s Chloe dress I purchased at a vintage festival last year — but are truly one of a kind, and for me, it's comparable to buying a piece of art.
If you go: Chicago Vintage Festival is noon-6pm Saturday and Sunday at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave.
- Free
Plus, get ready for the fest with a Halloween skate party 6:30-8:30pm Friday at 1008 S. Canal St. in the South Loop.
- BYOS (Bring your own skates)
- Tickets start at $12.