This month, I went to a 21+ event called Pancakes and Booze. It is an art show similar to the Chocolate and Art event I blogged about in March. Pancakes and Booze is a popular event for local artists to showcase and sell their goods, but it’s also a good place to simply socialize, enjoy a chill night out, and enjoy some free pancakes. Though most of the Pancakes and Booze events take place in the United States, it also occurs in Canada and in a few places in Europe. The venue I attended was in Los Angeles, and I must warn you, if you do not arrive early enough, parking can be a nightmare.
The event generally runs for only two nights (from 8pm-2am) in each location, and admission can run from $10-15, so be sure not to miss it! Even on a Friday, the venue was packed and you had to squeeze past people to get a look at the art. It did not help that there was a DJ booth and a bar in the middle of the floor. The bar had a basic selection of wine, beer, and a couple of liquors. There were a few different DJs that took turns playing music, so I got a chance to hear slightly different styles of hip-hop and house music.
The walls of the venue were covered with art from local artists, and some of the artists could be seen creating live portraits, paintings on canvas, or even body paintings. Small prints usually started around $5- $25, but I also saw works on canvas for as much as $3000. There was more than hand drawn art on display, such as canvas and prints of urban photography being sold, and I thought some were very nice, while other were weird. I saw a photograph of a line on the side walk and $20 was being charged for a small print of it. I would not buy it, but I’m sure someone out there would.
If you have an interest in buying something other than wall art, there are vendors that sell crystals and incense, wearable merchandise—such as, clothes, jewelry, pins, patches—and stickers. Some of the vendors’ merchandise feature wearable versions of what is being sold on the walls. Many of the art pieces, wearable and non-wearable, featured pop-culture mash-ups, celebrities, and themes as unusual as sentient avocados. The art is fun to look at, even if you are not planning on buying any that day.
And finally, the pancakes. Pancakes were an important feature for the event, but they were not immediately visible upon arrival. Although there was pancake art inside, the free pancakes were in an outdoor area, where it was easier to socialize without a crowd. The venue I attended gave you a choice of pancakes with chocolate chips, banana or both. Plain was probably an option, but why would you do that? They were not amazing pancakes, but it is not every day I get free chocolate chip pancakes and see interesting art.