Crafted at the Oak: Metal, Magic & Mystery — What to Expect This Sunday at Imperial Oak Brewing

Aug 14

8 min read

A photo from a 2025 event showing the tents arranged in the parking of Imperial Oak Brewing as shoppers explore the unique mix that's different at each of our events. Photo by Streetz

If you're planning on joining us this Sunday for the very first Crafted at the Oak: Metal, Magic & Mystery Market at Imperial Oak Brewing in Willow Springs, there are a couple of things I want you to know before we get into everything you're going to find.

First, this event is rain or shine.

The current forecast is looking pretty favorable for Sunday, but as we all know, weather forecasts can change. We are planning to be there from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. regardless, and we have a great group of artists and makers ready to spend the day with you.

The other thing I want you to know is that parking may take a little more planning than usual.

Willow Fest is happening right next door at the same time as our market, so the normal parking areas around Imperial Oak Brewing may fill up. Please plan ahead, watch the parking signs, and give yourself a little extra time to find a spot.

The Village Hall lot is available for parking, and the 2118 Willow Blvd. Metra lot across from the brewery is reserved for handicapped parking.

There is also additional parking at the John Husar I&M Canal Bicycle Trail parking lot.

The lot across from the brewery is reserved for handicapped parking for Willow Fest. Willow Fest takes over Market St. and that area with additional fest parking lot across Archer Avenue. Patrons for the Crafted at the oak event this Sunday are encourage to plan ahead so you can easily find parking. Hoping this narrative will help with that. -Streetz

Willow Fest is providing a free shuttle from Willow Springs Elementary School at 8345 Archer Avenue. The shuttle runs continuously during the Willow Fest from noon until 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, so it will be running during our almost all of the Crafted at the Oak event (our event is 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). The festival also has additional parking areas across Archer Avenue, including the Royalty West Banquets area.

One important note: please do not park in the Forest Preserve parking lot, as our event patron parking is prohibited there.

And if you're coming for Willow Fest, you're absolutely welcome to come over to Imperial Oak and visit us, too. In fact, that's one of the things that makes this weekend pretty interesting. You can enjoy Willow Fest, check out the market, grab some food, have a beer and make a whole day out of it. Note: Crafted at the Oak is a free to attend event.

Now, let's talk about what you're actually going to find when you get here.

Logo for the Crafted at the Oak: Metal, Magic & Mystery Market was designed by Stephanie Wheatley with Wheatley Design

So... What Exactly Is Metal, Magic & Mystery?

This is the third event in our new Crafted at the Oak series, and that is important because we're trying something a little different with this series.

Streetz Artz Alliance has been producing markets at breweries for years, and one of the things we've always tried to do is give people a reason to come back. We don't want every market to look exactly like the one before it.

Crafted at the Oak is our opportunity to really lean into rotating themes and build lineups around ideas that can take the market in completely different directions.

For this particular one, we went with Metal, Magic & Mystery. Our last Crafted at the Oak was Plant & Vinyl themed with the first being a new style Spring Market.

And honestly, even after putting the lineup together, I'm not sure we completely know what this market is.

That's kind of the point.

There is a lot of metal.

There is a lot of magic.

There is a whole lot of mystery.

And then there are the things that don't fit neatly into any category at all.

The Metal

When we started talking about the "Metal" part of the theme, I didn't want it to simply mean people who work with metal.

Although we have those people, too.

Left to right: Masterlink Chainmaille, Roczilla Records, Gratefully Dreaming and GMuzik.

Gratefully Dreaming creates nature-inspired copper electroformed jewelry using real plants, insects and fungi. Jen has incorporated everything from cedar and sage to wildflowers, mushrooms, cicadas and honeybees into her work, often pairing the pieces with raw gemstones.

MasterLinks Chainmaille brings intricate handmade chainmaille jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and keychains.

Kismetal Jewelry takes a different approach, creating nickel-free jewelry inspired by nature, celestial bodies and whimsical fantasy, with natural gemstones throughout the collection.

And then there is another interpretation of metal entirely: music.

GMuzik will have new and gently used records spanning decades, including plenty of music for people who like their Sunday afternoon with a little volume.

ROCZILLA RECORDS brings classic rock, jazz, blues, metal, alternative rock and even some Disney soundtracks.

So yes, there is metal.

Just not necessarily in the way you might expect.

The Magic

The Magic portion of this market might be the easiest category to understand, but it also has a pretty wide definition.

If you're into fantasy, gaming, folklore, witchcraft, tarot, mythology or simply things that feel a little outside the ordinary, you're going to have plenty to explore.

Left to Right: Magic Deck Vortex, Rantana Creations, Raechel Henderson and Crow & Moon Enchantments.

Geekbit Creations specializes in fantasy-style jewelry and wire-crafted pieces, including ear cuffs, hair charms, wire figurines, ornaments and other wearable creations that would look equally at home with everyday clothing or a cosplay outfit.

Crow & Moon Enchantments creates intention candles, wax melts, sprays, oils and jars, pairing scents with crystals and botanicals around specific intentions.

Raechel Henderson is both a witch and an author whose work explores the intersection of creativity and magic. She'll be bringing books on paganism, crafting and magic along with tarot pouches, tarot wraps and altar witches.

Magic Deck Vortex is bringing a different kind of magic altogether.

For those who know me, this one probably doesn't need much explanation. Magic Deck Vortex began as a Magic: The Gathering website and community back in 2002 and has evolved into a specialized vendor offering Magic: The Gathering singles, Commander preconstructed decks, dice, card dividers, accessories and more.

So if your idea of magic involves a stack of cardboard and someone yelling "counterspell," we've got you covered too.

Art of Alex Kujawa brings folklore, fantasy and horror together through traditional ink drawings, digitally colored artwork, illustrated folklore books, stickers and glow-in-the-dark art.

Robin Monique Rios Art brings original artwork, photography, mixed media and dark gothic vampire fiction, including her novel Raevyn's Plight.

And Rantana Creations has handmade bags, purses, headbands, book sleeves, witch hats and other sewn creations—including a bag featuring a Magic: The Gathering mana symbol.

Because apparently even your accessories can cast spells.

The Mystery

This is where things get fun.

The Mystery portion of the market is intentionally broad.

Some of it is books.

Some of it is tarot.

Some of it is strange artwork.

Some of it is the kind of thing that makes you stop at a booth and say, "Okay... what exactly is that?"

Left to right: Wicked Fun Crafts with Mystery Date with a Melt, mysterious creature jar, mysterious artwork frob Ronin Monique Rios Art and Mystery novels from Amy. L. Sauder

Amy L. Sauder writes stories filled with enchantments, secrets and murder. Her book I Know You Like a Murder is a mystery told from the perspective of the murderer, and each copy comes wrapped with a crime-scene-tape bow. Her Unfixed duology takes readers into a circus under a dark enchantment.

Ten Cups Tarot will be offering tarot readings, including individual and two-person readings. And with Tarot on the Go, well... part of the fun is finding out what the cards have to say.

Wicked Fun Crafts is bringing small-batch candles and wax melts, along with incense, patches, prints, cards and stickers. They are also bringing a "Mystery Date with a Candle" package that feels almost too perfect for this particular market.

And then there is megandowntherabbithole, whose artwork explores nature, mythology, energy and astrology through jewel-toned colors and geometric designs.

But the mystery doesn't stop with those artists.

Expect oddities.

Expect bizarre artwork.

Expect creepy and unusual things.

Expect creatures.

Expect things you probably didn't realize you needed until you saw them sitting on a vendor's table.

There will be sandworms, mini adoptable ghosts, coffin decor, bone decor, poppets, upcycled spooky tchotchkes, vintage assemblage art, dragons, dice guardians, witch hats, pentacles, runes, book nooks and plenty of other wonderfully strange finds.

That's the part of this market that I really can't predict.

And I like that.

And Then There Is Everything Else

One of the things I love about putting these markets together is that themes are a guide, not a box.

You don't have to be into tarot.

You don't have to play Magic: The Gathering.

You don't have to listen to metal.

You don't have to be interested in horror, fantasy or the occult.

There are plenty of other reasons to come.

Belonio Doodles will have original artwork.

FeFe's Pickles and Peppers will bring homemade pickles, peppers and other tasty creations.

Masterclass Savory Sweet Foods will have some of the giant cookies that have become a favorite at our markets.

You'll also find handmade bags and purses, graphic tees, hoodies, dresses, blankets, stickers, pins, embroidered and sewn goods, stuffed animals, Perler bead creations, leather cuffs, engraved notebooks, woodworking, cutting boards, charcuterie boards, cocktail infusers, plants and plant accessories, candles, soaps, bath and body products, pet treats and accessories and much more.

That's the beauty of a Streetz Artz Alliance market.

You can come looking for one thing and leave with something completely different.

And Yes, You Can Come Hungry

Shopping works up an appetite.

We've got that covered.

You'll find cookies, gourmet nuts, pickles, peppers, chow chow, pies, mini pies and pies on a stick.

Pizza 750 and Jarochitos Food Truck will also be serving food throughout the day.

And of course, you're at Imperial Oak Brewing, so you can grab a craft beer while you're here.

Which brings us to the unofficial Streetz Artz Alliance motto:

Come Sip and Shop with Us!

Why We Created Crafted at the Oak

This market is the first of what we're hoping will become a new series of events at Imperial Oak Brewing.

The idea behind Crafted at the Oak is pretty simple.

We want to create rotating themes that allow us to bring completely different groups of artists, makers, collectors, authors and small businesses together.

If you enjoyed one market, we want the next one to give you a reason to come back and discover something new.

Metal, Magic & Mystery is our first experiment with that concept, and judging from the lineup, we're definitely starting somewhere interesting.

It's strange.

It's creative.

It's nerdy.

It's artistic.

It's delicious.

It's occasionally creepy.

And there are definitely some things I can't quite explain.

Which, for a market called Metal, Magic & Mystery, seems appropriate.

Crafted at the Oak: Metal, Magic & Mystery Market

Imperial Oak Brewing

501 Willow Blvd.

Willow Springs, IL 60480

Sunday, August 16, 2026

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Admission is free and the event is family friendly.

Rain or shine.

If you're coming, give yourself a little extra time for parking because of Willow Fest. Check posted signs, consider using the Willow Fest shuttle from Willow Springs Elementary School, and plan ahead.

Then come inside, grab a beer, grab some food and start wandering.

Come curious.

Come thirsty.

Come ready to explore.

You never really know what you're going to discover at the first-ever Crafted at the Oak: Metal, Magic & Mystery Market.

And honestly?

That's exactly how we planned it.

Here's a full, current list of artists in the event: