Lavender Social's Rainbow Exchange Market celebrates queer art

The Lavender Social held its first Rainbow Exchange Vendor Market of 2026 at Speakeasy in Carrboro, featuring LGBTQIA+ artists selling handmade goods and followed by trivia, a cabaret show and a dance party.

The Lavender Social held the first Rainbow Exchange Vendor Market of 2026 on Saturday at Speakeasy in Carrboro. The market ran from 1 to 7 p.m. and brought together LGBTQIA+ artists and makers offering handmade art, pottery, clothing and jewelry. The afternoon market was followed by trivia, a cabaret show and a dance party later in the evening. Organizer Russell Davis said the market was created to expand space for queer artists to share their work and to grow the Lavender Social’s community events. Event details: - The market ran from 1 to 7 p.m. and featured vendors selling handmade art, pottery, clothing, jewelry and other goods. - After the market, the Lavender Social hosted trivia, a cabaret show and a late-evening dance party. - Organizer Russell Davis started the Lavender Social about a year and a half ago and expanded programming roughly five months ago to include trivia, dance parties and a recurring vendor market. - Vendors included Russell Davis (framed vintage advertisements), Sunny Spillane (upcycled clothing under the name Queer Comes Trouble) and artist Eric Van Leuven (mixed-media pieces with often genderless figures). - Eric Van Leuven travels from Wilmington, about two-and-a-half hours away, to participate because he finds few queer-focused art events in his area. Summary: The market provided a space for queer artists to display and sell their work and added to the Lavender Social’s range of community events. Organizers and vendors described the market as part of an ongoing effort to create inclusive, creative spaces. Undetermined at this time.