The twist isn't that this weekend's Neighborhood Gift Fair in downtown Syracuse features only female artisans, but there will be also free food to anyone who needs it, no questions asked, donated by local restaurants.
The fair is the brainchild of Brianna Goodwin, who organized it with Ed Griffin-Nolan, owner of the Spa at 500, which is hosting the event.
Goodwin, whose day job is communications manager for the human services and refugee resettlement agency InterFaith Works, makes and sells her own skincare products, and says she knows not everyone can afford to buy gifts, and that the holiday season can be hard for many people.
"But something as simple as giving somebody a bowl of soup or warm milk can put them in a better spirit, or just really feed their bellies for that day. And I just want to be a part of making people feel like they're part of something bigger," Goodwin said.
Hence the idea to have a "pop-up soup bar" at the fair, to feed anyone who might need it, though she says it has drawn a few adverse reactions, mostly based on preconceptions.
"I think that's because they're thinking, 'Oh, well, that person came in off the street, and they're homeless' or 'That person has come in, and they're not shopping, they're there just for the food.' But I think that's pushing me to want to do it more," Goodwin said.
When she asked local restaurants to donate food, the first to answer the call was Habiba’s Ethiopian Kitchen in the Salt City Market, in downtown Syracuse. Chef and owner Habiba Boru, who lived in a refugee camp as a child, says she jumped at the chance to support other women and the community.
"I'll be making a dish that's very close to my heart, which is a red lentil soup, which is something that I grew up eating as a little child," said Boru. "My mother used to cook that for us a lot. Basically, when we were in the camp, my mom used to cook for a living, to keep the roof over our head and clothes on our back."
Other local eateries to join the cause and donate free food include Baghdad Restaurant and the Kabab Guys.
The fair will feature products from more than a dozen women-owned businesses, including handmade ceramics from Smokepail Studios; jewelry by Limestone and Silver; knitted animals by Crochet Buffet; and Goodwin's own GoodSkin soaps and creams.
The Neighborhood Gift Fair takes place Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Spa at 500 in downtown Syracuse.
