by Stranger Things To Do Staff
The holidays are quickly approaching, and there are more than 200 events on our holidays calendar, including seasonal performances, ugly sweater parties, and festive light displays. But Seattle also has an abundance of local markets, pop-up shops, and exhibitions where you can buy local, handmade gifts for the holidays. Skip the mall this year and check out the options below instead, ranging from the large Urban Craft Uprising Winter Show to the Punk Rock Flea Market, and from the Holiday Bizarre Bazaar to the Native Art Mart.
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DECEMBER 1-3
1. Sorrento Holiday Pop-Up
Need to shop for the holidays, but too rattled by the crowds downtown and too cold for outdoor markets? The Sorrento will host 12 local designers in its cozy suites. Shop Babeland, Capitol Hill Candle Company, Salua Lingerie, and more.
(First Hill)
DECEMBER 1-4
2. King Street Makers Mart
This International District fair offers toys, food, ceramics, and more from 45 vendors.
(Chinatown-International District)
DECEMBER 1-9
3. Second Annual Holiday Small Works Sale
Stock up on holiday gifts at this affordable small works sale. Because buying art is so much better than buying... most other things.
(Capitol Hill)
DECEMBER 1-23
4. Holiday Pop-Up Show and Sale
Stock up on gifts and affordable glass art at this holiday show and sale featuring local and regional artists.
(Pioneer Square)
DECEMBER 1-24
5. Holiday Market at Westlake Park
If "German Christmas market" is the holiday market vibe you're after, check out the Downtown Seattle Association and Urban Craft Uprising's event: 24 outdoor booths of curated crafts and goods, which will rotate each week during the monthlong event. You'll be outside, you'll be prepared for the holidays, and you'll be happy.
(Downtown)
6. Reindeer Festival
Keep the holidays green and growing: shop plants and holiday paraphernalia at Swanson's! Get your Christmas tree, wreath, or arrangement, meet adorable reindeer, imagine yourself as a tiny passenger in the model train village, and check out the cat-and-dog-happy Seattle Humane Maxmobile on December 8 and 23 (from 3-6 pm) for adoptable friends. Some shopping days will even feature live music. Don't forget to bring a non-perishable food item for the Ballard Food Bank.
(Crown Hill)
DECEMBER 1-JAN 8
7. Holiday Show and Festival of Ornaments
Celebrate the holiday season in the Main Gallery with a "festival of ornaments" and holiday show featuring artists including Kathryn & Bill Booze, Karen Dedrickson, Carol Hershman, Shari Kaufman, Christine Lee, Elinor Maroney, and Olivia Zapata.
(Columbia City)
DECEMBER 2
8. Johnston Architects' Holiday Market
Buy vegan leather goods, bath stuff, jewelry, cards, and macaroons. All vendors are based in the Seattle area and have been specially selected by JA.
(University District)
DECEMBER 2-3
9. Giving Marketplace
Earn extra karma while you're Christmas shopping by buying from organizations that advocate for social change or environmental preservation. Participants include the Snow Leopard Trust, Alaffia, BikeWorks, Ten Thousand Villages, ROOTS of South Sudan, and other groups. While you're there, put yourself to work: help box up kits for refugees (the Foundation provides the materials), donate a used bike, or make your own earth-friendly, recycled jewelry.
(Seattle Center)
DECEMBER 2-4
10. Urban Craft Uprising Winter Show
"Seattle’s largest indie craft show" boasts a very large number of vendors of toys, kits, clothing, jewelry, food, clothes, crafts, etc., etc., etc. Go for free on Saturday or Sunday, or get first pick on the preview night (Friday) for eight bucks and participate in raffles with prizes from the Seattle Art Museum, Babeland, and many other beloved Seattle shops.
(Seattle Center)
DECEMBER 2-11
11. Pottery Northwest's Holiday Special
Grab some holiday gifts at this show and sale featuring work by Pottery Northwest's resident artists and local artisans, including reclaimed wooden trays, metal jewelry, and vegan truffles, in addition to ceramics. The market will begin with an open-to-the-public holiday party on December 2, and will remain open until December 11.
(Seattle Center)
DECEMBER 3
12. 3rd Annual Yappy Holidays Craft Bazaar + Bake Sale Fundraiser
You guys. Yappy holidays. Yes, you can bring your pet to this craft and baked-good sale. Yes, they have an adoption event. Yes, every dollar you spend at the bake sale will help rescue creatures at the Motley Zoo. And more freaking adorability: get a pet photo with a $30 donation.
(Redmond)
13. 9th Annual DIY Holiday Fest
Vera and Hollow Earth Radio have assembled some of the coolest local zines, records, tapes, and crafts around. Rendezvous with Jigsaw Records, Other Peoples Polyester, Channel Fest, and many others.
(Seattle Center)
14. Ballard Elks Holiday Craft Fair
Buy local crafts and goods from over 30 vendors, including Squirrel vs. Coyote, Coffin Crafts, Red Lotus Pottery, and more. Get a glimpse into the future (if you're brave) with the tarot readers of Rainbow Eyes. Don't forget to bring some non-perishables ("food, toy, or pet supplies") to donate.
(Ballard)
15. Bemis Arts Open House & Invitational Holiday Sale
Meet Bemis' resident artists and other guest vendors selected by Bemis and the Seattle Makers' Market. Buy art for family and friends!
(Beacon Hill)
16. Holiday Bizarre Bazaar
Visit the coziest trailer park in town to shop antiques, food, jewelry, clothes, gifts, and more. DJ ADHD, DJ Dimples and the Sugarplum Elves make it a party, and if you're very well- behaved, you can get a picture with Mr. and Ms. Claus.
(Georgetown)
17. Made in the PNW Holiday Pop Up Shop
This market offers snacks, drinks, a photobooth, and, of course, lots of local and regional gifts.
(Belltown)
DECEMBER 3-4
18. Winter Festival & Crafts Fair
Every year, the Phinney neighborhood welcomes upwards of 5,000 visitors and customers flocking to look for the perfect holiday gifts for their friends and family members. With over a hundred vendors, there is certainly plenty to choose from. Live entertainment and delicious food will be on hand for shoppers' enjoyment. A portion of the proceeds from the Winter Festival goes to support neighborhood works such as the PNA Soup Kitchen, the Greenwood Senior Center, the Phinney Center Art Gallery, and others.
(Phinney)
DECEMBER 4
19. Holiday Gift Pop Up
Support local artists, illustrators, jewelry makers, and clothing designers, get a picture with Santa (before 2 pm), and head next door to Fioravanti to make wreaths. If you're feeling un-Scroogelike, hand some money to the drive for Mary's Place, which provides shelter and more to homeless women and children.
(Beacon Hill)
20. Metaphysical Market: Giving Gifts
Artisans, vendors, healers, lecturers, and others will gather at this monthly market devoted to "Magick in our everyday lives." This month, the market centers around giving. Attend talks on "The Sorcerer's Mind" and "Understanding a Star Child's Compass and Navigational Codes"; cleanse your soul through reiki; buy handmade and magical articles; and enter a raffle.
(Pioneer Square)
21. Mourning Market
It's your last chance to patronize Seattle's number one "Dark-Themed Market." Dress in mourning and shop morosely, for the market shall soon be no more: They've decided to fold after seven years. There's still time to celebrate, though: You may snag a free body bag or win a raffle, you can get your palm read, and you might survive a close encounter with the Krampus.
(Eastlake)
DECEMBER 4-18
22. Handmade Arcade
On the three Sundays before Christmas, allow live music to lure you from the luscious Ballard Farmers Market to the Tractor, where you'll want to stay to browse curated indie goods from a rotating cast of 50 makers while you listen to live music. You could go home with some new "non traditional photography, recycled & reused inventions, woodwork, toys, mechanical things, robots, handcrafted tools, plant art, leather, baskets, books, collages, dioramas, gadgets, puppets, masks, [or] illustrations."
(Ballard)
DECEMBER 6-23
23. 55th Annual Holiday Exhibition
Consider buying from local artists for the holidays this year. New and recently acquired small-scale pieces will be on display and available for purchase at this Woodside/Braseth Gallery exhibition, featuring Victoria Adams, Guy Anderson, Nathan DiPietro, Barbara Earl Thomas, and many more. Meet the artists at a champagne and cocktail reception on December 8.
(Downtown)
DECEMBER 8-FEB 5
24. 10th Annual Holiday Mini Art Extravaganza
Enjoy hundreds of examples of miniature art—and stock up on affordable gifts for art lovers—at this exhibit featuring works by local and global artists. Don't holiday-shop without this place.
(Capitol Hill)
DECEMBER 10
25. Art Under $100
This is about as affordable as art gets, and it's a showcase for the work of over 70 local artists. There's also stuff to eat and drink and there's a raffle, so you can really make a day of it. If you want to get first dibs, pay an extra $20 and shop during the VIP hour.
(Georgetown)
26. Handmade Holiday Market
Buy eco-friendly presents from local artists who favor secondhand materials (including Capitol Hill Candle Co., Franklin High School Woodshop, and Pieced Together Design) at this fourth annual market held in Seattle's largest architectural salvage yard. Food and drinks will be available.
(South Park)
27. Holiday Fair
Buy holiday stuff from artisan Seattleites and keep your spending money in this fair city. Hats, knitwear, lampshades, jewelry, needlepoint, and journals can all be yours.
(Ballard)
28. Pop Up Mercado: Holiday Fiesta
Plenty of vendors, music, food, gift wrapping, and a possible visit from Santa are promised.
(Beacon Hill)
DECEMBER 10-11
29. Seattle Sampling Artists' Studio Tour
Tour makers' studios and explore ceramics, painting, jewelry, blown glass, and other treasures by 34 artists across Seattle (including Brace Point Pottery, Blowing Sands Glass Studio, and Penguina Designs Studio). Bring home something really special to give for the holidays.
(Various locations)
DECEMBER 11
30. Holiday Party & Barter Fair
Rebel against the tyranny of money and exchange your own handicrafts, food, or expertise with friends and neighbors at this event organized by Sustainable Ballard. Barter with vegetables, clothing, services, whatever you have to offer!
(Ballard)
31. Holiday Trunk Show
Northwest artisans, including jcoco chocolate, Theo Chocolate, and Fresh Tangerine, will demonstrate and sell their wares in the Chihuly Bookstore.
(Seattle Center)
32. Serafina & Cicchetti's 2nd Annual Holiday Bazaar
This second annual holiday bazaar at these sister restaurants in Eastlake will offer house-made olive oil, spice blends, tomato sauce, and other products, food-themed gift baskets, and other products from the Serafina and Cicchetti community, including truffle products, handmade jewelry, and paintings. Plus, small bites and wine tasting!
(Eastlake)
DECEMBER 15
33. South Lake Union Winter Market
Did you miss Urban Craft Uprising early in December? There's still hope: South Lake Union will host a mini-reprise of the massive fair.
(South Lake Union)
DECEMBER 17
34. Seattle Unique Boutique 2016 Holiday Extravaganza
Buy $5 drinks at this grown-up holiday market full of odd crafts and arts from 65 selected vendors. Also featuring a DJ and healers to help you through the holiday season.
(Capitol Hill)
DECEMBER 17-18
35. BadWill Market: The Holiday Edition
This iteration of the monthly pop up will focus on the holidays, providing handmade and vintage goods, snacks, hot drinks, and more.
(Capitol Hill)
36. Native Art Mart
Buy authentic Native gifts—clothing, drums, art prints, and more—from a group of diverse local artists. Then eat a baked salmon lunch or Indian tacos while you're hanging out in Discovery Park.
(Magnolia)
37. Renegade Craft Fair
The curated, high-quality RCF ("the largest independent craft fair in the world") returns to Seattle for its second year, bringing more than 200 makers, DIY workshops, seasonal food and drinks, and "sleighs of holiday cheer."
(Sand Point)
DECEMBER 18
38. Annual Holiday Market
Shop for gifts from the Seattle Makers Market's local artists and artisans.
(Fremont)
DECEMBER 18-24
39. Pop-in
This market/festival by Rose Gold is a boon to Christmas procrastinators. Buy air-brushed art, textiles, vintage, records, poetry, paper, and other last-minute goodies. On 12/20, take part in a "psychic release"; on 12/21, make your own herbal bath kit.
(Sodo)
DECEMBER 20-22
40. Punk Rock Flea Market
V2 used to be a Value Village; since the closure of that venerable thrift store, it's been used as an ad hoc arts space. Well, Punk Rock Flea Market is going to show the building out with a bang, because after this holiday fair and music extravaganza, V2 is getting gutted. So come enjoy the live music (the Fe Fi Fo Fums, Childbirth, The Solvents, and the Bucharest Drinking Team) and DJs while you buy cool stuff.
(Capitol Hill) Get all this and more on the new Stranger Things To Do mobile app—available now on the App Store and Google Play.