What Makes Wilmington Cool

Cool Wilmington organizes the American Craft Walk in downtown Wilmington, an event that attracts thousands of browsers. (Photo c/o Cool Wilmington)

Cool Wilmington owners James Christopher and his wife, Andrella, have made it their mission to bring people out to experience all that Wilmington has to offer.

As the city’s business districts have grown, so has the desire for events that drive people to them. These curated experiences showcase local businesses in hopes of turning first-timers into loyal customers.

“A Cool Wilmington event, however, is different from other local festivals,” James Christopher said. “We complement local brick-and-mortar shops rather than compete with them. For example, there are no food trucks at a downtown event that we host because there are so many great places to eat right there.”

Cool Wilmington was founded in 2005 as the event division of the Downtown Business Alliance. From its first event, Rims on the River, to the most recent, the Cape Fear Women’s Birding Festival held this past January, no two events are alike.

That’s by design.

“When we start to plan an event, there are no wrong answers,” James Christopher said. “It’s all blue sky at the beginning; everything is possible. We usually have so many ideas that we keep adding additional aspects to our events every year. That’s what keeps them fresh.”

James Christopher and his wife have more than two decades of experience in marketing, graphic design and web design. Every Cool Wilmington event is supported in print, web, social media and radio advertising campaigns.

“Every ad, announcement and promotion is timed to achieve maximum exposure for an event. We really work at getting the word out,” he said.

Behind the scenes, organization is key. The day of each event is preorganized, spaces are marked, and staff are on standby.

Cool Wilmington events attract a wide audience. “Our demographic is just about everyone,” said James Christopher. “Wives seem to be the driving force bringing their husbands and families to the farmers market. And everyone loves the American Craft Walk.”

Veg-Out, a smaller, more niche event, reliably draws about 3,000 people, and the Really Cool Stuff Holiday Market draws 7,000 to 8,000 annually. The Riverfront Farmers Market consistently draws an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people every Saturday from April through November.

Community connection is also central to Cool Wilmington’s mission. Most major events offer special rates for nonprofits, and in some cases, such as the Riverfront Farmers Market, at no fee. James Christopher said he has partnered with voter registration groups, affordable housing organizations, climate advocacy groups, literacy programs and the city of Wilmington.

“We try to help as many groups as we can, and we give back when possible,” he said.

At its core, Cool Wilmington was founded on the belief that events supporting local brick-and-mortar businesses were possible, James Christopher said.

“Many of our event vendors have gone on to start successful local businesses of their own. It is our sincere pleasure to continue to carry on that tradition,” he said.

Morgan Kotnik and Emily Griffin are co-coordinators of Geeks & Freaks ILM Market, a marketplace where artists, collectors, pop culture enthusiasts and more come together to sell their goods. What began in 2023 as the Second Saturday Market at Crofton’s Pretzels with 12 vendors quickly evolved when Kotnik and Griffin became involved. They changed the name, settled on market themes and this year partnered with Waterline Brewery.

Kotnik’s inspiration comes from the idea that, in modern slang, a “geek” is an intense, enthusiastic, collection-oriented, and passionate individual. “We did not want to leave out people who go against societal norms, so we added ‘freaks,’ a playful nod to the television show ‘Freaks and Geeks,’” Kotnik said, referring to the late 1990s teen comedy/drama.

A self-proclaimed geek and avid gamer with a background in film, Kotnik brings the geeky and nerdy aspects to the business. Griffin complements that as the co-owner of Buried Under Comics & Toys, 3908 Market St., and the organizer behind Weird & Wicked Events, which hosts Crafts & Crystals Faires and a yearly Occult & Oddities Fest.

“These are the exact type of vendors and audience that our markets cater to,” Griffin said.

“We both cannot wait to see what the vendors bring and create,” Kotnik said. “Our No. 1 priority will always be to create a safe, fun and welcoming space at our markets.”