Happy Holiday Shopping Season! I know, I know – it’s still weeks until Thanksgiving, and we’re all still swimming in Halloween candy. But, for better or worse, retailers seem to ignore the calendar date and plow forward anyway bringing out their holiday campaigns. Maybe this year, instead of resisting, it’s time to get on board and get a handle on the holidays before the insanity and stress kicks in.
All around the metro, holiday markets will soon be popping up showcasing local boutiques and businesses. You’ll be able to get a head start on your holiday shopping and find unique items and great ideas for presents (and perhaps a treat for yourself for doing such an excellent job at getting ahead of the holiday shopping craziness).
Here are the upcoming November holiday markets in the Twin Cities:
Linden Hills Holiday Market
The Linden Hills Farmers Market is partnering with the Minneapolis Craft Market, a mobile marketplace dedicated to showcasing handcrafted goods by designers and makers of the North, in order to bring you a constant rotating selection of Minnesota gifts, crafts, and artisan goods and gourmet foods. You’ll be able to peruse over 60 vendors at the market which will change each week so you’ll want to come back again and again to check out the new selection.
A perfect one-stop holiday shopping experience, the Linden Hills Holiday Market takes place in the greenhouses at Sunnyside Gardens right next to their enormous Christmas tree lot to really help get you into the holiday spirit. The market runs every Sunday beginning November, 4 and ending December, 23 from 9am–2pm. It’s free to attend and pets are welcome!
Handmade for the Holidays
For the first time, the Minneapolis Craft Market is bringing one of their pop-up holiday markets to new brewery, La Doña Cervecería which blends Latin culture with The North. Now this is my kind of holiday shopping. Grab a beer and browse the 20+ vendors where you’ll easily find the perfect gift among the high quality, local artisan-made goods. The vendors have already been booked and will include businesses such as The Tin Owl, Beadiful Dreams, Beeper Bébé, Burly Babe Woodworking, and Eli & Ink.
And after you’ve found your perfect gift, you can relax by pairing your beer with eats from Flagsmash food truck or enjoy a Mexican twist on delicious pastries, cakes, and desserts from Dulceria Bakery.
Handmade for the Holidays market is open on Sunday, November 11 and Sunday, November 18 from 12pm–5pm.
Plaid Friday & Small Business Saturday Winter Markets
This is the best alternative to Black Friday. No lines, no crazy parking, and no potential to be crushed by a mob. Sounds good. On Friday, November 23 and Saturday, November 24, Sociable Cider Werks will host Minneapolis Craft Market for their annual winter market. Bring your friends, and your furry friends too, to enjoy two days of shopping local handcrafted and gourmet holiday goods.
On Plaid Friday, you’ll be able to enjoy live music, new cider releases, and hot mulled cider while browsing local artists, farmer goods, and food makers. And be sure to come back the next day for Small Business Saturday. There will be a whole slew of new vendors that feature local businesses. And again, there of course will be cider on Saturday as well. On both days, you can visit the market from 12pm–5pm all while supporting local businesses and avoiding the mall chaos.
Northeast Winter Market
The Northeast Winter Market will give you one of the more enjoyable shopping experiences during the holiday season. Three words: Bloody Mary bar. There will also be food catered by Chow Girls, local beer, and kids activities all while the Ring Toss Twins play music on vinyl to accompany you while you shop from a variety of over 30 local vendors.
The Northeast Winter Market runs all throughout the winter months but the next upcoming date is Sunday, November 18 from 10am—2pm at Solar Arts by Chow Girls on the third floor.
Minneapolis Holiday Boutique
With more than 200 vendor booths you’ll be able to find a gift for even the most difficult person on your list. The Holiday Boutique showcases all the latest trends in fashion, home décor, jewelry, gourmet foods, beauty, toys, art, seasonal gifts, even gifts for your pets, and so much more. Grab a drink as you peruse both designer brands as well as midwest boutiques and local artisans.
Friday night is Ladies Night Out from 5pm—9pm with drinks, food, music, and prizes. You can also enjoy the Festival of Trees with twelve beautifully lit trees which will be for sale with proceeds donated to Coats for Kids. Or you can help the cause and donate to take a photo with a hunky firefighter from the Minneapolis Fire Department. Not a bad way to help the kids.
The Minneapolis Holiday Boutique is a 3-day shopping extravaganza from Friday, November 9 through Sunday, November 11 at US Bank Stadium. While you do have to pay to get in, if you order tickets online you get $2 off for a price of $10 or pay $12 at the door.
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