Festive Holiday Markets in All 50 States

Like architecture and design, every state has its own unique style, quirks and culture that make it worth visiting. Even holiday crafts look different from state to state, whether that's hand-painted oysters at the Charleston City Market or Indigenous hand-carved ornaments from the Alaska Native Heritage Center. We've rounded up the most festive fairs, bazaars and pop-up shops in each state that celebrate the winter holiday season and support local artisans.

Huntsville, Ala., may be famous for all the rockets, but it’s also home to a vibrant community of artists. And Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment is the hub. The largest privately-owned arts facility in the U.S. boasts more than 150 studios and supports about 300 artists and makers. There are always weekly public visitation hours, but a visit during the holiday season is extra special, as you can attend and shop for handmade art and crafts at Yule Y’all (which includes the annual Christmas water tower lighting) and the Winter Solstice Market (which is perfect for scoring last-minute gifts).

If you’re ever in Anchorage, the Alaska Native Heritage Center is a must-visit attraction, and the Ch’k’iqadi Gallery is so much more than another museum gift shop. Here, you can buy authentic Indigenous-made art, decor, clothing, jewelry, and more from various tribes across the entire state. And if you’re in town the first weekend of December, the Alaska Native Heritage Center Holiday Bazaar amplifies that selection with more than 60 Alaskan Native vendors selling everything from carvings and artwork to hand-sewn clothing and accessories.

“Seinfeld” fans are familiar with Festivus, but in Phoenix, they celebrate Phoestivus. The annual fundraiser for the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market takes place on Dec. 12 this year and will feature more than 175 local vendors offering handmade crafts and homemade sweet treats. Also, no hate on Santa, but a photo with Phreddie the Yeti is ten times cooler. Entry is pay what you can, with a suggested donation of $5 per person.

Eureka Springs marches to its own drum. This tiny town in the Ozarks only has about 2,000 residents, but it attracts more than 750,000 visitors a year. Why? It’s a flavor of hodgepodge southern charm you won’t find anywhere else, from Victorian-era architecture that feels like New Orleans to mountainous streets packed with unique shops that feel like Gatlinburg, Tenn. to a quirky indie music scene that feels like Athens, Ga. Christmastime is extra magical with parades, performances, and Holiday Farmers’ Market Days on the Eureka Springs Community Center lawn.

It’s tough to pick just one holiday market for the Golden State, but Danish holiday flair in SoCal is certainly unexpected. Solvang, Calif., aka the “Danish Capital of America,” already looks like the inside of a snowglobe year-round, but during the holiday season, it celebrates Julefest, which turns the entire town into a total Christmas escape. The Maker’s Market, held on Dec. 3, 10, and 17 in Solvang Park, features local artisans, seasonal bites and live music to keep spirits bright.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Denver Christkindlmarket brings the magic of traditional German Christmas markets to town, with both local and European arts and crafts vendors to shop. New this year, fellow makers can join a glass ornament workshop to experience the centuries-old tradition of glassblowing and create a holiday keepsake along the way. Also new this year, don’t miss the beautifully restored Herschell carousel, complete with hand-carved horses. The market is open now through Dec. 23 at its new location on the Tivoli Quad at Auraria Campus.

Stars Hollow may not be real, but Hartford is — and it’s a must-visit for any “Gilmore Girls” fan. And if you visit any weekend now through Dec. 21, you’ll catch Winterfair, which boasts more than 30 vendors and 100 small and micro businesses. While there may not be Luke’s coffee, there is a Luke’s Toy Factory.

You know it's good when admission sells out and the event happens before the holiday season even starts! Next year, plan a pre-Christmas trip to Winterthur, Del., for its historic home turned museum of the same name, with its awe-inspiring gardens, and, most importantly, the Holiday Market. Tickets include a Yuletide house tour as well as a glass of seasonal bubbly, plus access to shop from more than 50 local artisans featuring everything from festive handmade decor to upcycled vintage wares.

Florida’s famed Highway 30A is a must-do road trip any time of year. However, if you plan your drive during the holiday season, you can hit up the Rosemary Beach Holiday Market, which gives holiday traditions a fun coastal twist.

Savannah, Ga., is synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day revelry, but The Hostess City rolls out the southern charm for Christmastime, too. Located down at Plant Riverside District, a 1912 power plant-turned-hotel-and-event-space, Savannah’s Christmas Market features European-style booths boasting local artists and artisans. You can even vote for the best booth design.

Each island of Hawaiʻi has its own distinct holiday markets, however, O’ahu’s Mele Kalikimaka Marketplace is one of the largest. Now in its tenth year, the Honolulu event, on Dec. 13 and 14, features more than 300 local vendors boasting authentic, made-in-Hawaiʻi holiday gifts, crafts, artisans treats, and more.

Sun Valley, Idaho is a skier’s paradise, but if you visit this winter wonderland at the tail end of fall instead, yes, you’ll be too early for those peak powder days; however, you’ll be right on time for the Sun Valley Resort Holiday Market. This European-style pop-up features locally-made gifts and wreaths as well as gourmet artisan treats. The annual event, which is now in its ninth year, will take place on Dec. 13 and 14, with a tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 13.

Baseball fans flock to Chicago to catch a game at the famous Wrigley Field; however, diehard Cubs fans know that you should also visit off-season and around the holidays. Now through Dec. 31, the grounds around the historic ballpark are transformed into Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville, a German Christmas-inspired outdoor market complete with a Ferris wheel right next to the park!

Just north of Indianapolis, you’ll find the suburb of Carmel. However, from Nov. 22 to Dec. 24 this year, you might think you’ve arrived in Germany. Carmel Christkindlmarkt features 60 huts boasting German food and handcrafted gifts. You can sip on mulled wine as you watch live demos from German crafters. The artisan werkstatt (workshop) highlights several skills, from glassblowing to wooden toy making to traditional wood carving.

Madison County gets a lot of tourism for those famous bridges. And most are around the town of Winterset. If you go for a book-inspired vacation, you might as well plan it around the town’s annual Winter Solstice Market. The holiday bazaar features a curated collection of 40 local artisans with handmade gifts and gourmet treats to shop.

Known as “Little Sweden USA,” Lindsborg, Kan., was founded in the 1860s by Swedish immigrants. Today, that Swedish heritage is celebrated throughout town, from restaurants to architecture. And during the holiday season, that Swedish flair includes the Christmas Artists’ Studio Open House, where artists all over Lindsborg welcome studio tours, host live demos, and sell handmade and handcrafted wares.

For six weeks every year, Louisville’s Paristown neighborhood turns into a Fête de Noël (Festival of Christmas) featuring the Brent Street Holiday Market. The annual event is packed with handmade gifts and ornaments, as well as seasonal gourmet treats from local makers and artisans.

New Orleans is gorgeous around the holidays, but Baton Rouge is worth a trip, too. The capital city’s Mid-City neighborhood hosts an annual White Light Night, an art festival lining Government Street with Louisiana makers and artisans, as well as local homemade treats and eats.

The Maker’s Market at Thompson’s Point in Portland, Maine, celebrates locally-made wares seasonally, as “it was created as an ode to local Maine artisans, craftspeople, artists, creators and farmers.” However, there are six weekend days now through Dec. 21 where the already aesthetic market (It’s housed in a restored industrial mill.) gets an extra festive makeover for the holidays. Even better: Admission is free, and there’s a bar inside if you want to snag a Poinsettia (cranberry mimosa) for yourself before shopping for artisan decor and gifts.

Now in its twelfth year, Baltimore’s Christmas Village transforms the waterfront West Shore Park into a European-style market. With more than 70 local vendors to shop, there’s quite a selection of Maryland-made holiday decor and gifts. In typical European tradition, there’s plenty of hot mulled wine. However, this market also features glühbier, which is a Belgian hot mulled beer.

In Marblehead, Mass., Santa trades his sleigh for a lobster boat. The annual Marblehead Christmas Walk is a beloved New England event that takes over the entire coastal town, which is right outside of Salem. Now in its 54th year, the celebration includes a gingerbread festival as well as the Artisan’s Marketplace.

Grand Rapids Christkindl Markt is a newbie in the Great Lakes State, having only started in 2023. However, it’s quickly become a must-do. The holiday market features European-inspired eats and treats, such as Alpine-style melted Raclette cheese sandwiches. And the rustic wooden stalls feature more than 60 artisans and makers, offering everything from pottery and textiles to European-made chocolates.

Touted as the largest in Minnesota, St. Paul’s European Christmas Market at the Union Depot turns the heart of the city into a German and Austrian-inspired winter wonderland, complete with glühwein and handcrafted Nordic wares. The market features dozens of unique artisan-made small businesses, from bespoke wool accessories to handmade wooden toys to hand-poured candles and more.

Every year, literary fans flock to Oxford, Miss., to tour Rowan Oak, William Faulkner’s home-turned-museum. But if you visit at the beginning of December, you can pair that pilgrimage with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s Holiday Art Market. Yoknapatawpha is the fictional name Faulkner used for Oxford in multiple works. Today, the council supports 300 days of arts programs a year, including the holiday market. Unlike larger holiday festivals with a mix of vendors, this holiday market, held at The Powerhouse, is specifically limited to artists and makers with homemade, home-baked, or handmade items.

Calling all Christmas rom-com diehards! Now you can basically live out all of your holiday fantasies from the small screen in real life. Head to Kansas City for the Hallmark Christmas Experience in Crown Center Square. There you’ll find festive craft cocktails and candy — and there’s even a Hallmarket with exclusive merch to rep your ultimate fandom. There's even an adorable card-sending station with free holiday cards to mail loved ones. Even more magical: You can send it right from the event. Just address it, drop it in the mailbox and Hallmark will pay for the postage.

The holidays often feel like a marathon of events, but this corridor of to-dos ushers in the beginning of winter — a season of stillness and introspection. And if you’re feeling that pull to slow down and shop with intention, the Indigenous Made Winter Market in Missoula, Mont., is a great place to start. The Indigenous Made Montana event, which is held at the Missoula Fairgrounds, takes place on Small Business Saturday and features more than 50 vendors and dozens of Indigenous artists and makers.

Held over two festive weekends along Heartland of America Park at The RiverFront, you’ll find Omaha’s Midwest Fest Holiday Market, which offers a maker lineup “that feels distinctly Midwest” despite the European-style winter village. The more than 40 artisan huts will feature handmade crafts and decor as well as reclaimed and salvaged art. There’s also live ice sculpting and Omaha floral business The Kindling Company's Flower Truck will have a pop-up wreath-making bar.

Less than a 20-minute drive from the infamous Las Vegas strip, you’ll find The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village. The annual event is now in its 33rd year and all proceeds from admission go to the nonprofit, which serves people in the Las Vegas area with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The twinkling winter wonderland has tons of fun for the kiddos, from mini golf to a train. But there’s also a holiday vendor village to shop for handmade gifts and a beer garden on select nights for the 21-and-up crowd.

New Hampshire has several charming, albeit analog, winter traditions that feel like a warm hug, from cookie crawls between picturesque B&Bs to the lantern-lit paths at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth. But that’s not all the holiday magic you’ll find in the historic seaside town. There’s a whole month of celebrating come Christmastime. The annual Vintage Christmas festival features dozens of productions and performances from local artists, as well as an impressive gingerbread house exhibition. And on Dec. 6, the annual Shop & Stroll with local artisans and boutiques is like a pre-party event for the city’s big parade.

Asbury Park, N.J., is already a must-visit town for any Bruce Springsteen fan, but if you visit between Black Friday and the Winter Solstice, you have to put the Asbury Park Bazaar on your list. The annual Holiday Bazaar Series is spread out around three iconic spots in town: the Grand Arcade of Convention Hall, Asbury Hotel and Whitechapel Projects in Long Branch, N.J.The curated collection of vendors features everything from handmade holiday ornaments to unique vintage apparel to pottery, soaps and more.

Santa Fe’s Traditional Spanish Market has been a hub for Hispanic art and culture for nearly 100 years, preserving pottery, jewelry, textiles, and other historic skills — as well as the authentic materials needed to make these art forms. The market’s annual Winter Spanish Market is held every December at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center and features more than 50 artists and artisans to shop and support.

As soon as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade hard launches Santa, New York City transforms into one giant holiday market, from Winter Haven at Wave Hill in The Bronx to Grand Central Holiday Bazaar inside the iconic station. But perhaps the most famous outdoor pop-up is the Union Square Holiday Market. The annual takeover of Union Square Park features 185 vendors, offering everything from handmade wares to coupons for local businesses that make great gift card alternatives. The market is open daily through Dec. 24.

In Charlotte, N.C., you won’t find reindeer, but there are reindogs. In fact, there’s a whole parade for dogs dressed up as reindeer. It’s all part of Camp North End’s annual Mistletoe Market, which takes place the first three Saturdays of December in the reimagined industrial complex. The event is quirky in the best way, such as plastic green milk crates stacked on top of each other to create a giant Christmas tree for photo ops. The festival includes dozens of local vendors, from handmade crafts to curated vintage to shop.

Folkways Christkindlmarkt turns the Fargo Civic Center into a winter wonderland, complete with a Bier Hall and Gift Market full of artisan-made pottery, ornaments, jewelry and more. The annual event takes place over the last two weekends in November, which is a great way to get ahead on your holiday to-dos. There’s even an order-ahead Christmas tree lot for easy pick-up.

Findlay Market is a Cincinnati institution worth visiting any time of year; however, the annual Holiday Market is extra special, as it invites dozens of additional local artisans to the Outdoor Market so you can “gift shop while you grocery shop.” This year, the holiday takeover happens Dec. 6 and 7.

Back for its fifth year, the Winter Holiday Art Market at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City features Indigenous artists from across the state selling all kinds of authentic art, from jewelry and textiles to handmade holiday decor. This year, the event takes place on Dec. 6 and 7.

Portland Bazaar, happening Dec. 13 and 14 and Dec. 20 and 21 this year, features more than 160 local makers, designers and artists. Like the City of Roses itself, there’s a little bit of everything at this market, from ceramics to art prints to some seriously good vintage. It’s a great one-stop shop for all of your holiday gifting because there’s also an on-site gift wrapping booth. And that’s really a gift to yourself.

One of the largest Christmas markets in the U.S., Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem, Penn., is a must-do for avid crafters and DIYers. Now in its 33rd year, the market boasts beloved artisan brands, such as German ornament manufacturer Käthe Wohlfahrt. But the annual event also includes a robust program of festive workshops, from DIY ornaments to a hot glass experience that includes creating your own bubble bowl from molten glass. This year’s market is open through Dec. 21.

The Providence Flea at Farm Fresh RI Market Hall is a year-round must, as it features a rotating lineup of more than 80 local artists, artisans, makers, bakers and vintage purveyors. But during Christmastime, the flea market produces Holiday Sundays for a seasonal twist with unique goods and tasty treats. Shop handmade ceramics, knitwear, floral designs, toffees, candles, paper goods and so much more.

Charleston City Market is the city’s most-visited attraction, and Christmastime is one of its busiest. However, beyond the general holiday wares, the market preserves an important part of Charleston’s history, with more than 50 resident Gullah artists. The market also features a certified local seal on items to help shoppers know if they’re buying something truly locally made.

Mostly known for its proximity to bucket list National Park destinations, Rapid City, S.D., is also teeming with a vibrant, Indigenous art scene. If you’re in town Dec. 5 or 6, head to the Dahl Arts Center for the Black Hills Indian Artists Market Holiday & Fashion Show. The annual event features award-winning Native artists and creators as well as the chance to sample heritage foods from local vendors.

Chattanooga, Tenn. has a funky artsy vibe year-round and the annual Chattanooga Holiday Market has become so popular that it now sells out every year. In fact, the market (which already happened this year before Thanksgiving) has become so big that, after 24 years in Chattanooga, it’s adding even more merriness this year: a tour! The event organizers are hitting the road and heading up to Knoxville, Tenn., in December to produce an all-new Knoxville Holiday Market. The event will take place at Knoxville World’s Fair Exhibition Hall, highlighting more than 150 Tennesseee and southern makers.

Back for its third year, Holidays on Houston transforms five blocks of one of San Antonio’s most popular thoroughfares into a winter wonderland packed with more than 50 vendors selling artisan crafts and sweet treats. The market runs Dec. 12 through 14, and make sure to visit at night, as the entire stroll features more than 393,000 mini-LED lights and each street intersection will have special lighting, too.

Back for its seventh year, Craft Lake City Holiday Market has become a beloved event in North Utah. Located in the historic Union Station in Ogden, Utah, the festive market features more than 150 seasonal vendors. This year, the event will take place Dec. 5 and 6, with single-day tickets for $7.

“Vermont must be beautiful this time of the year, all that snow.” Whether or not it’s an actual “White Christmas,” Vermont truly is a magical place come Christmastime. And the BTV Winter Market features dozens of Vermonters and Flatlanders selling their artisan wares, from custom art prints to bespoke leatherwork and more. The annual pop-up in Burlington has grown into a two-weekend event packed with festive vibes and some fantastic vintage.

Alexandria, Va., is the sleeper hit just outside of the D.C. bubble. The city’s Old Town neighborhood is steeped in colonial history and can’t-miss sights such as the iconic Spite House. The Old Town Alexandria Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show is also one of the neighborhood’s most popular attractions, and this year, it will take place on Dec. 13, with a wide array of Virginia-made gifts, decor and ornaments. And for any budding crafters, there will be a kids' ornament-making station.

As long as you don’t look up at the towering Space Needle above, you’d think you were in a European village at the Seattle Christmas Market. Back for its third year at Seattle Center, the holiday market features local artisan sweets and crafts as well as authentic German Christmas fare. And new this year, the Christmas Market Express, via the Seattle Monorail, will transport visitors from downtown straight to the heart of the market. In fact, the downtown station isn’t too far from Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, which also has holiday artisan crafts and wares to shop this season. So you could do an all-out holiday market crawl from one to the other for the ultimate Christmastime shopping spree in the Emerald City.

While most European-style Christmas markets in the U.S. take inspiration from Germany, Holiday Village at the Capitol Market in Charleston, W.V., riffs on the romantic cities of Prague and Vienna. The farmers’ market’s annual event features West Virginia’s best makers, from handcrafted decor and gifts to delicious artisan sweets.

Door County, Wis., is a natural gem. The peninsula juts out between famous Green Bay and Lake Michigan and features a picturesque coastline and pretty state parks that could rival a National Park. Located in Sister Bay, the Door County Christkindlmarkt is the premier way to celebrate this coastal Christmas. Back for a third year, the European-style market is filled with artisan goods, from quilts to candy. This year’s market will take place on the last weekend of November and the first two weekends in December.