The Shad Festival

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Hazel Village News

The Shad Festival Collection will be live on our site this Wednesday, April 22nd at 1 PM ET! A purchase limit of 1 per household for all items will be lifted 24 hours after launch. 

The Shad Festival takes place every April, when the juneberry trees begin to blossom and all the shad swim from the ocean to their freshwater spawning grounds. The animals make beautiful shad banners to hang up in front of their houses and on trees, where they billow in the spring breezes and inspire the shad to swim up the Hazel Village stream. Gracie Cat especially looks forward to the Shad Festival, because for her it means a tasty fish fry.

Shad Festival Collection editorial photo with Gracie Cat and fishing-themed items on a brown backdrop

This launch happens to fall on Earth Day! We will be donating 10% of our online sales for the day to NYC H2O, a nonprofit organization that provides public and school programs at historic reservoirs, parklands, watersheds, bays, rivers and wetlands. Their mission is to inspire New Yorkers of all ages to learn about, enjoy, and protect our city’s local water ecology 💙🌱

Stay tuned for a Village Blog post coming later this week to see how the animals made their banners and learn more about shad! 🐟

Editorial of Philomena Duck celebrating the Shad Festival with the Hazel Village animals

 

flat lay of Shad Sweater

Shad Sweater for Dolls – $24
Limit of 1 per household

A cozy sweater with a spectacular shad fish on the tummy. Made from the softest baby alpaca yarn in a watery blue hue. Single yarn button at the back collar. Hand knit by our artisan partners in Peru.

portrait of Lewis Toad wearing Shad Sweater

Closeup of Shad Sweater worn by Lewis Toad

flat lay of Catch o' the Day Trinket Fish Set

Catch o’ the Day Trinket Fish Set – $28
Limit of 1 per household

The bounty of a Shad Fest fishing extravaganza! Except really this item is for the animals’ pretend play – Gracie Cat promises she will not eat the trinket fish.

Set includes:

  • Five tiny fish made from soft cotton with scrap fabric fins, and stuffed with natural fluffy Kapok fiber. You may receive either three white fish and two green fish or three green and two white.
  • A cotton net bag with a cross-body shoulder strap.

Handmade by our artisan partners in Colombia and India. Recommended for Ages 6+.

portrait of Lewis Toad wearing Shad Sweater and Catch O' the Day Trinket Fish Set bag

Closeup of net bag with trinket fish peeking out, worn by Lewis Toad

Green and white trinket fish and cotton net bag on a brown backdrop

 

flat lay of Fishin' Overalls

Fishin’ Overalls for Dolls – $16
Limit of 1 per household

A rugged pair of overalls for the most industrious fishin’ folk. Made from golden brown waxed cotton canvas, which is sturdy and water-resistant. One patch pocket on the bib and another on each leg are perfect for carrying bait, lures, or companionable trinket fish. Cross-back straps, velcro back closure, and a thoughtful tail hole. Handmade by our artisan partners in Cambodia.

Waxed canvas will naturally develop creases and light-colored spots known as ‘craze marks’. This gives the fabric a vintage quality which is widely considered to be part of its charm. If you wish to clear up any marks, you can use an iron at medium heat with a protective paper layer between the fabric and the iron.

portrait of Oliver Mouse wearing Fishin' Overalls

Closeup of Fishin' Overalls lower patch pocket

Portrait of Oliver Mouse wearing Fishin' Overalls with a trinket fish peeking out of the bib pocket

Editorial of Gracie Cat and her friends celebrating the Shad Festival with fish banners

flat lay of Shad Run Dress

Shad Run Dress for Dolls – $16
Limit of 1 per household

A shad run is what it’s called when all the shad swim upstream from the ocean to their freshwater spawning grounds. This blue cotton frock has short sleeves, velcro back closure, and a full gathered skirt screen printed with our original shad run artwork. Handmade by our artisan partners in Colombia.

portrait of Philomena Duck wearing Shad Run Dress

closeup of swimming shad artwork on the skirt of the Shad Run Dress

portrait of Philomena Duck wearing Shad Run Dress

Back portrait of Philomena Duck wearing Shad Run Dress

Mini Shad flat lay

Mini Shad – $18
Limit of 1 per household

The animals call this shad dolly Flicker Jr. His ivory fabric is woven with threads of metallic gold, so he catches the light and shimmers nicely. His fins are a flax cotton stripe, and he is hand-embroidered with fishy details in white, yellow, and blue cotton floss. Flicker Jr. was handmade by our artisan partners in Cambodia.

Portrait of Philomena Duck with Mini Shad in the pocket of her Nest Vest

Portrait of Philomena Duck with Mini Shad in the pocket of her Nest Vest

portrait of Philomena Duck carrying her mini shad in the pocket of her Nest Vest

Shad Run Crown flat lay

Shad Run Crown for Dolls – $14
Limit of 1 per household

This bright blue cotton crown is trimmed in shiny satin and navy ric-rac, and screenprinted with our original artwork of swimming shad. Perfect for the animal who has always wanted to wear the river on their head. Velcro back closure. Handmade by our artisan partners in Colombia.

portrait of Gracie Cat wearing Shad Run Crown, Festive Frill Blouse, and Fishin' Overalls

Closeup of Shad Run Crown on Gracie Cat

Back view of Shad Run Crown and Fishin' Overalls on Gracie Cat

Shad Shoes flat lay

Shad Shoes for Dolls – $18
Limit of 1 per household

SHAD SHOES! Need we say more? These booties have a cotton body and brown suede soles, and are decorated with a silver foil print that looks just like a shiny scaled shad. They even have little fins and a fishy tail that sticks up at the back. Superb! Handmade by our artisan partners in Colombia.

Closeup of Shad Shoes worn by Gracie Cat with Fishin' Overalls

Shad Shoes closeup

Shop the Shad Festival Collection on Wednesday, April 22nd at 1 PM ET! 🐟