EASTHAMPTON — Fairies on stilts, goats, fencers, mystical energy healers and much more took over Cottage Street on Saturday afternoon for the fourth annual Cultural Chaos street festival.

The event, run by Easthampton City Arts with the Cottage Street Cultural District, featured local businesses and vendors, live music, activities for kids and even a faux running of the bulls.

“Easthampton City Arts thinks it’s important for us to create spaces that are accessible to the public, free and family-friendly,” said Pasqualina Azzarello, city arts coordinator at Easthampton City Arts. “You see people of all ages. It’s an intergenerational celebration.”

Jen Taft, an Easthampton resident, came to the festival with her daughter and husband. She said they’ve been coming to the festival for the past few years and they look forward to it each time it rolls around.

“It’s always fun,” Taft said. “We like the music, and there’s always stuff for kids.”

The family spent nearly 45 minutes at the puppet table Saturday, she said, as her daughter made a hot pink puppet she dubbed, “Loke-Loke.” Face painting and eating ice cream were also among popular activities for kids Saturday, when temperatures reached into the mid-80s.

Another Easthampton resident, Rachel Connell, said the festival brings her family together. They’re scattered across the area, she said, but they all came together to enjoy the festival’s beer garden.

Connell also said the event is a positive force, especially after recent terrorist attacks in London which targeted gathering spaces somewhat like the festival.

“Everyone is allowed to be themselves here,” she said. “Everyone is here for good.”

Sage Meadow Farm’s owner, Stanley McCoy, sold goat milk soap at a booth on Cottage Street. He’s tabled at the event every year, but this year, he brought along a few of his young goats, who he said attracted even more people to his tent.

As is usual at the festival, he said, business was good.

“People really support local farmers in this town — it’s good to see,” McCoy said.

Businesses along Cottage Street were open, and Azzarello said part of the festival’s purpose is to raise awareness about local businesses.

One such business, Esoteric Empyre, was open Saturday, even before its official grand opening which will happen sometime in the next couple weeks.

The shop sells printed T-shirts with designs by owner Chris Harman, as well as custom wood furniture through a subsidiary called Grain & Grit. The shirts are printed using a top-of-line, in-store printer, and Harman makes the wood stains for furniture himself.

Visitors streamed in and out of the store during the afternoon, and several complimented the custom tables and wood paneling on the walls.

“We’re just doing this to let people know what we’re doing,” he said. “People seem to really be enjoying our whole operation.”

Azzarello estimates more than 10,000 people visited the festival Saturday over the course of five hours.

“There’s so much opportunity to use your hands and play and learn and discover,” she said. “People come and see what a special place Easthampton is.”

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