About Us
Learn about the birth of the market, our mission statement and upcoming market dates.
Read along to learn aaaaallll about us.
Our Story
Our Market was born out of a backyard, coupled with a few good friends and a dream ...
The Birth of the Market
In late 2021, founder Artemis began their journey as a new artist on the St. Pete art market scene and found themselves completely discouraged by the lack of diversity both in art and the artists themselves. With dead insects at the center of their medium, it was too often that the general population of market goers would turn up their noses at their work, so they knew something had to change. With the help of a fellow artist, they dreamt up the idea of New Moon Makers Market in a St. Pete backyard with only a handful of vendors, all friends. They thought that if the city wasn't accepting of their weird, different makes, they'd carve out a place for themselves and their friends who they felt fell into their category of strange queers. That night in that tiny backyard turned into a huge success, much to their shock, and the community demanded more. Thanks to a recent friendship made with Samir, the owner of our beloved Retrospect Furniture, our host location for nearly our market's entire life, the events moved and was able to accommodate *much* more space, both for vendors and patrons.
The market eventually grew from 7 vendors, to over 30!
What makes us different
New Moon Makers Market is a curated market with the goal of providing opportunities of visibility to local makers, artists and alike, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, etc., while also prioritizing a showcase of colorful variety of handmade goods and wares. Our curation and intention is very important to us, and affords us our ability to create a non-competitive and fair marketplace for all kinds of small businesses. It has helped us prove ourselves as one of the most unique and different market experiences in the city.
We were the first to emphasize the Makers in our market name, and we're damn proud of it!
In recent years, St. Pete has changed quickly. With big industry, developers and a whole lotta northerners moving into our homes, businesses and neighborhoods we remain fiercely loyal to our local weirdos and cool kids who make beautiful things with their hands. We believe it is crucial to support the true, original community of artists and makers and offer them an opportunity to support themselves doing what they love, despite what they may have to do to survive. As we enter our FIFTH year as a market we are looking forward to growing with the changes we face but remaining a constant in our rich biosphere within our community. The queer community of St. Pete is why we are able to do what we do, so we owe everything to them and won't ever stop showing it. Thank you for allowing us to continue doing what we love by awarding us the opportunity to support our friends through art, love and community.
Our Mission Statement
We strive to uplift every queer, weird and different maker in the St. Pete/Tampa Bay area while creating a queer, weird and different professional marketplace. Read on to see what makes us different. making us your favorite market in the city.
Embracing Change
Lots happened in our 3rd year and we have tried our best to embrace change and use it as a driving force for evolution
Tackling the unexpected
At the end of our 2024 Spring season, right before we held our final event of the season, we were faced with the greatest sadness when we learned that Retrospect was being forced to close and relocate. While we will always support and love Samir and whatever iterations of his shop become with time, we took it as a sort of push from the nest to find our next home. While the road has noooottttt been easy (or accessible, or well lit or even really navigable at all) we are proud of our dedication to our vision and ability to keep it movin. We faced tons of discouraging forces, namely landing a super dope venue that would have changed the game for us and our vendors that last minute didn't end up working, but we stood tall and persevered. We don't know what the future holds in our everchanging city, but we remain in constant gratefulness overflowing of the small businesses around St. Pete that have offered us their space to hold our events.
Fall of 2024 we had our October Return Market held at Daydream Makers Space, Sugar Cream Clay and Hawthorne Bottle Shoppe's combined space on Central Ave and it was dreamier than we could have ever imagined. We felt extremely blessed to close out our 2025 year of events at Allendale Church, who have done incredible work uplifting and supporting the queer + trans communities in our area. We will never be able to sing their praises enough. We have spent all of our 2026 at Allendale and we're confident we found our place in the city.
Thank you for supporting us in every form on evolution we find ourselves in <3 We love you!
Meet your Hosts
This year has also come with a change in our team dynamic as well! Read on to learn what our Moonie Mommieship looks like.
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Your Moonie Mommies
we are a small team with big dreams! we've expanded our team to four!
Founder, Co-Host, Communications ✦
Remote Mommie
Artemis Moon ✦ (they/them)
@artemisandthemoon
Artemis has loved St. Pete and its palpable otherness since the second they stepped off the bus in 2017. Since discovering their medium in early 2020, Art's entomology-centered practice has evolved organically and was one of the main catalysts for founding New Moon Makers Market in fall of 2021, as their art was deemed quite odd and unsavory by the general St. Pete market scene (then, much smaller) and its attendees. New Moon has become something they could have never imagined and Artemis remains humbled and unbelievably grateful that it is now in its FIFTH year. New Moon is without a doubt their most fulfilling project to date and they feel beyond privileged to do what they love in tandem with a community and people they care so deeply for. They have yearned for this belonging since the start of their artistic endeavor and they are confident they have finally found it, as well as their beautiful, magnificently colorful family.
If you've ever dm'd or emailed New Moon, you spoke to Art! Artemis will be managing communications, socials, scheduling, planning and all else remotely as our Remote Mommie!
You can see their art on instagram and follow them @artemisandthemoon or visit their website artemisandthemoon.com
Volunteer Manager ✦ Volunteer Mommie
Mandi Kipley ✦ (she/her)
@theoctopusbotantist
Mandi landed next to Artie, quite literally, in early 2021, after her dedication to self and move to Florida. She quickly fell in love with our little city and Artie quickly fell in love with her, making fast friends. Previously a vendor since the very beginning with her plant-forward company The Octopus Botanist, and now a full-time horticulture technician in Pinellas, Mandi graciously dedicates her generous time and energy to helping our events move smoothly. To her, as a self-proclaimed raging introvert, the market has become a monthly social staple, and she thinks our St. Pete community would agree. We've all become a family! To watch the market grow and to become a part of it the last few years has brought her immense joy, keeping her grounded and allowing something to work towards. Mandi is endlessly excited to watch New Moon continue to grow this year. She is honored to be at your service!
Mandi will be assisting with in-person events as our Volunteer Mommie!
Keep up with Mandi and what she grows next by following her instagram @theoctopusbotanist
Angel Moonie ✦ Volunteer Daddie
Sam Brooks ✦ (he/they/hir)
@butch_hound
Sam is a Florida child, through and through! Having grown up in St. Pete, Sam has seen first-hand how much the city has changed, and is grateful to be a part of a community that reflects the values of the city. They have a passion for hard work and their community, and you can find hir at New Moon and Swamp Boi events, assisting in any way they can. If you need a hand, just give ‘em a shout! When he’s not there, you can find hir introducing people to the wild side of Florida. They have a passion for educating others on the importance of the relationship between humans and the natural world. One of their favorite ways to do this is by trying to capture the wild essence of Florida through photography, videography, and artwork.
Sam has been the most incredible addition to our team, we love Sam!
You can follow Sam on instagram @butch_hound
What is the Mommieship?
We call ourselves Moonie Mommies because our market is more than just an event -- our vendors have become family to us, making us their Mommies & Daddies! We wear this badge with pride and are so honored to find ourselves in this position.
Follow
@newmoonmakersmarket on instagram