The first Basilica Farm & Flea Holiday Market took place on Thanksgiving weekend 2013. Since then, it has become a Black Friday alternative that supports local makers and the creative community.
To help businesses transition to online shopping, Basilica Farm & Flea Virtual Market, with the support of the City of Hudson Tourism Board, hosted a free educational webinar and product photography session for participants. Elise McMahon of LikeMindedObjects led the webinar joined by e-commerce experts Alex Petraglia of the Hudson Business Coalition and Hillary France of Hudson Wylde, along with photographer Angelina Dreem of Dreem Reality Inc. The goal was to remove the barriers to entry for members of the local business community who primarily sell at in-person markets.
Melissa Auf der Maur, co-founder and director of Basilica Hudson, said of the virtual market, "Missing out on a celebratory in-person 10-year anniversary season has been heartbreaking for Basilica, BUT it has also been a call to action and transformation. Being a platform for independent voices while fostering sustainable community and economy is central to our mission. Farm & Flea is a direct manifestation of that commitment and has been such a rewarding experience for all involved. Originally a response to the big box Black Friday super sales, but now a virtual response to Amazon, the monster in in our consumer realm! This pandemic is hitting hard on our cultural and social livelihoods, so sticking together locally and putting our creative minds together is how we will get through this challenging time. The silver lining has made itself clear to all engaged and living in our dynamic region, and we feel so fortunate to be a part of that."
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