On Saturday the 16th of August the Melbourne Furry Makers Market was run at the now familiar Kensington Town Hall. The venue was fully booked out by them this year, having the main hall, back room, and upstairs set up to support their 75+ vendors and artists.
We asked one of the artists vending that day about how the found the market this year, and this is what they said:
MFMM was exactly the one day event that we needed … The market was bustling and consistent … [with] a good mixture of established brands / artists and brand new talent [meaning] there was something for everyone. For sure want to come back next time and support a great local event.
Attendee feedback has also been very positive. We asked two attendees about their honest thoughts on the event:
The long line to get in was worth the wait to see the place absolutely jam packed with every kind of furry trade I could imagine. … The atmosphere was probably one of the best parts of being there. … The meet outside was a great opportunity to catch up with friends new and old. The event really drew out a lot of faces I haven’t seen before! … Overall it was a really relaxing and enjoyable event.
[The] Market itself was good … there was a good amount of stalls etc and enough to look at that it was worth coming. … More space inside would make it more accessible as I saw some people struggling in wheelchairs/scooters … it needs a way bigger venue/capacity cos the wait in line was not okay …
This sentiment was mirrored by the organisers themselves when they came out to advise people in line about the wait ahead. It’s clear that the event has outgrown its humble beginnings with attendance appearing to have more than doubled since their first year. Many members of the community are keen to see them move to a venue that can accommodate their current success.
So congratulations to the Melbourne Furry Makers Market on another successful year! We look forward to seeing how they grow in the future, and continue to inspire variety in the local Melbourne fandom.