With December upon us, we have a small window of a few weeks to go absolutely holiday crazy and get our cheer on. Because gift-giving has become such a huge part of the holidays, craft markets that support local businesses have become increasingly popular When searching for gifts, shopping from local small businesses is always a great Idea. It stimulates the local economy and offers small craft makers a place to sell their goods. So to help you support small businesses on your day off, here are four local holiday markets you should visit!
Hosted in a large street-level room at the Gateway Mall, Salt and Honey’s holiday market hosts one of the largest amounts of local vendors in one place. You’ll find clothing, craft goods, homemade treats, and more unique items that are perfect for gift giving season or simply to treat yourself. A major bonus of this market is how late they stay open, so you can still find time to stop by if you’re working or in class during the day. Salt and Honey’s market runs from December 5th-9th and then the 11th-16th from 10 am- 10 pm.
This market was created to be reminiscent of traditional German Christmas markets and represent the story of St. Martin, which emulates helping others. Located just next door to our university, this market is hosted outside at This Is The Place Heritage Park. A lot of the vendors have some sort of product influenced by traditional Germany. If you don’t go for the crafts, gifts, or amazing food, you should at least go to see the decorations. Each booth is decorated like a small house with lights and garlands coating each exterior. It’s the perfect place to go on a date or walk around with friends, even if you don’t want to buy anything. So skip the crazy traffic and parking around Temple Square; visit Christkindlmarkt and sip on locally made hot chocolate instead! Christkindlmarkt runs from November 29th-30th and December 1st-2nd from 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Holiday Market presented by The Sports Mall
This market is the very first presented by The Sports Mall, and happens to be the smallest market on this list with just ten vendors. The reason I’m including this market is because it’s going to host a number of vendors who are smaller or won’t be at some of the bigger markets, and it’s important that they get the attention needed to grow their endeavors. Some of the items that will be available at this market are jewelry, skincare/beauty products, artwork, clothing accessories (scarves, hats, etc.), and more! This market is a one day only event happening on December 16th from 9 am – 2 pm at The Sports Mall (5445 South 900 East). Be sure to check this one out to support small brands!
Downtown Holiday Art & Craft Market
Presented by the same people that runt the Downtown Farmers Market, the Holiday Art & Craft Market is sure to please! Found inside the Rio Grande Depot, this market features a handful of different craft vendors alongside farm fresh fruits and veggies (it IS still a farmer’s market after all). This market is open every Saturday from now until December 23rd from 10 am – 2 pm. The craft vendors change each Saturday, so even if you go every week you’ll find something completely different.
Each market offers a completely different experience with completely different vendors, so be sure to check out as many of them as you can. Happy Holidays!