‘Tis the season to start thinking about holiday gifts to warm the hearts of your friends and loved ones.
It’s also the perfect time of year to support local artisans and makers who craft and harvest their treasures by hand. Tick two boxes by shopping local and sourcing one-of-a-kind gifts with this guide to 20 vendor fairs.
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Coming up this weekend
• The North Lawrence Holiday Market, hosted by the Woodlawn Elementary PTO, will highlight handmade gifts and goodies from local artists, crafters and makers while supporting the school. There will also be a silent auction with bidding and chances to buy Woodlawn merchandise. “Proceeds fund the things our students, teachers, and staff need throughout the school year,” according to the Facebook event. Shopping is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Woodlawn Elementary, 508 Elm St.
• Family-friendly fun is set to abound at the Lawrence Community Nursery School’s Fall Block Party Extravaganza with live music, the Sando food truck, children’s activities and raffles. Vendor booths will include Harvestry by Hand, a fiber weaver, dyer and spinner; Not Quite Wild Creations, a clay-based jewelry artist; an LCNS bake sale; and more. The block party is a great time to marvel at the school’s new street mural. The festivities will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 at LCNS, 645 Alabama St.
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Week of Monday, Nov. 17 – Sunday, Nov. 23
• For those who like to thrift pre-loved finds, an antique and vintage show is planned for 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds along East 21st Terrace and Harper Street. Find out more at this link.
• The USDA Extension Program at HINU is hosting one of its regular Haskell Open Markets with products, art and food from a variety of vendors. That’s set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Stidham Union on campus; see a map here.
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• Pendleton’s Country Market will kick off its holiday open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 23. The open house will feature a host of local makers, bakers and farmers. Attendees can expect to shop books for tots, wines, crochet and knitwear, woodworking, chestnuts, lavender, honey, hanging stained glass pieces, leather bags and wallets, holiday pottery and the list goes on. The market is at 1446 East 1850 Road, about a mile east of the edge of town and a mile north of Kansas Highway 10 (see it on a map here). It will be open the same hours the following weekend. See a list of vendors at this link.
• Shop local at the Holiday Suites Showcase hosted by 4801 Building from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 at 4801 Quail Crest Place. Interested vendors can email 4801building@gmail.com to participate. A second showcase will take place at the same time and place Sunday, Dec. 14.
Thanksgiving week, Monday, Nov. 24 – Sunday, Nov. 30
• Born in 1988, Lawrence Art Center’s Bizarre Bazaar returns for another year of “hippie love vibes,” as the founder calls it. Quirky and distinctive local art will be available, including fiber work, prints, stained glass and more. Tune in to the Facebook event for posts about scheduled vendors. The bazaar will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at the arts center, 940 New Hampshire St.
• Pendleton’s Country Market is open again from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 and Sunday, Nov. 30. See more details above.
• Pine’s Garden & Market will have a vendors market with crafts, baked goods and more, as well as a free ornament decorating for little ones at the store’s holiday market, set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at 1320 N. Third St.; see a map here. In addition to hot cocoa and market samples, they will also have fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreaths and garland coming in from North Carolina.
• Admission is free to the NoLaw Art Fest, featuring local artisans, a photo booth, and holiday cocktails from a fully stocked bar. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20 at Venue 1235, 1235 North Third St.
• Deck your halls with holiday trees, roped wreaths and poinsettias at Vinland Valley Nursery’s Plantaland! Pop-Up Tropical Holiday Mall. Cut and live trees will be available, along with a host of gifts for gardeners. Different workshop stations will allow visitors to construct terrariums, garlands and winter ornaments, while the vendor mall and food court promise baked and canned goods, botanical toiletries, bioregionally adapted seeds, ceramics, thrifting and, of course, local art. See the complete vendor list here. Plantaland is free to attend and will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 30 at 1606 North 600 Road in Baldwin.
• Van Go’s annual art show and holiday market will debut at Adornment, where they will unveil artwork from young artists in The Arts Train and JAMS programs. “This is your chance to see what we’ve been up to all year and get your hands on some incredible handmade goods as this event will be our first night of shopping of the season,” according to the event page. Snacks and refreshments will be available, with items priced as low as $3. Adornment’s opening celebration runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St in East Lawrence. The market is open through Dec. 21; see gallery hours on the event page.
Week of Monday, Dec. 1 – Sunday, Dec. 7
• The City of Lawrence’s Holiday Extravaganza Artisan Fair boasts “goods from local artisans such as jewelry, paintings, textiles, pottery, home décor, and much more from community entrepreneurs,” according to the event page. Vendor applications are open on the website through Dec. 1, before the event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at Sports Pavilion Lawrence, 100 Rock Chalk Lane.
• Back for the seventh time, River Rat Print and Skate’s Holiday Art Market will host local artist vendors, food and drink and music by the fire. More details will be announced, but folks can mark their calendars for 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at River Rat, 608 N. Second St.
• The Astra Holiday Market, featuring more than 20 artists and makers, will also offer attendees food, cocktails and beats from DJ Candy Cane. That market goes from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St. in East Lawrence.
• LOLA Giant — that’s Lovers of Lawrence Art — is calling all art fanatics to don their ugliest holiday sweaters and roll up to their holiday mark for art and kittens. That’s set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St. in East Lawrence. There will be treasures from ceramics to eco-friendly skincare to macrame and more. See a full vendor list at this link.
• Support some aspiring younger creators at the Lawrence Youth Makers Market, started by a young entrepreneur and her mother in 2023. “Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace,” according to the event page. Check it out from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at Holcom Park Recreation Center, 2700 W. 27th St.
Week of Monday, Dec. 8 and beyond
• Saturday, Dec. 13 will see the return of the Holiday Farmers Market nestled under the pavilion at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, featuring tried and true Lawrence Farmers Market vendors. “Wide aisles, hot food and drink, artisan crafts, locally grown and produced foods, gifts and box sets, and so much more” can be expected, per the event page. That runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The Lawrence Art Guild is asking folks to save the date for their seasonal art fair featuring handcrafted goods. They’ll open shop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St. in East Lawrence.
• The Inclusive Winter Market will feature around 100 vendors and food, “embracing the vibrant cultures that make Douglas County special,” per the event site. That’s set for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive.
• Prairie Moon Waldorf School’s Winter Light Faire is set to be “a magical evening for parents and children alike” with food, shopping, activities and lights. More information on vendors and activities is forthcoming, but the time is scheduled for 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 at the school, 1853 East 1600 Road.
• The Holiday Suites Showcase returns from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. See more details above.
What are we missing?
We made a list and checked it twice, but please let us know if there’s another event that we should include here.
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