SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Make South Bend held its annual Rebel Art Fest on Sunday, a celebration of local creativity that has become a staple of the city's summer season.
Now in its 11th year, the festival featured more than 100 vendors, 15 musical acts and a variety of food trucks, drawing hundreds of attendees to browse handmade goods, enjoy live entertainment and support local artists.
For vendor Summer Amador, owner of Just Sum Rugs, the event highlighted the community that has helped her turn a pandemic hobby into a growing business
"I got my own studio at Make South Bend, so that's been a really big step for me," Amador said.
Amador began making rugs during the COVID-19 pandemic after picking up a tufting gun as a new creative outlet.
Since then, Amador has expanded her work beyond local markets and is preparing to teach classes for aspiring artists through Make South Bend.
"I would say being an artist is a lot about the community aspect of it, and supporting your fellow artists and uplifting your community," she said.
The festival also attracted new artists to the area, including Brianne Adelman of Highland, Indiana, who was participating in her first South Bend event.
"This is my first show in South Bend. I absolutely love it, and I'm looking forward to coming back," Adelman said.
Adelman, owner of Frankenwerks Studios, has spent more than a decade creating art and jewelry.
"I used to be a vintage seller at comic cons to bring younger people into 1960s and 1970s vintage jewelry, so they realize there's beautiful things out there and keep them out of the dumpster," she said.
That commitment to reuse remains central to her creations today. One of her favorite pieces pays tribute to the 1986 horror film "Maximum Overdrive" and features a repurposed vintage cupcake decoration.
Those who missed the event will have additional opportunities to support local artists this summer, including the upcoming Leeper Park Art Fair and Art Beat in August.