Holiday Markets and Craft Fairs
Shop Local - Support the Arts This Holiday Season!
The holiday season is fast approaching, and Northwest CT is ringing in the season with a festive lineup of holiday markets, fairs, and festivals! Get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping while supporting local artisans, farmers, and small businesses. At these lively events, you'll find booths filled with handmade gifts, specialty foods, holiday décor, and more. Bundle up and stroll through, chatting with the makers and sipping on hot chocolate.
In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best places to find a handmade treasure in northwest CT this season. From Kent to Litchfield, New Milford to Torrington, there are festive bazaars throughout the region where you can shop for one-of-a-kind gifts and experience the magic of the holidays. Read on for all the details on dates, times, locations, and what you can expect to find at these local holiday shopping extravaganzas. It's the most wonderful time of the year in northwest CT!
The Spa @ Litchfield Hills, Litchfield CT
November 24th-December 31st
Visit the Holiday Bazaar for an unparalleled shopping experience in a heated pop-up shop with gifts for everyone you love! Shop our new beauty counter with an extensive selection of popular indie brands, along with curated collections of fun wellness and festive lifestyle items.
Christmas Shop at the Historic Merwinsville Hotel
Historic Merwinsville Hotel, New Milford CT
November 25, 10am-5pm
Annual holiday event at a historic, 1843 railroad hotel. An amazing room-size display of a Dickens Village collection surrounded by a speeding model train. Enjoy the Mr. Christmas World's Fair Amusement Park miniatures and an enormous collection of nutcrackers in all shapes and sizes.
For those of you who are looking for that special holiday present, there is a huge assortment of fine arts and crafts for sale including jewelry, pottery, felted figures, ornaments, woven and knitted items, and so much more. All are created by local artisans and will be available for purchase. Cut trees, wreaths, and holiday decorations from Meadowbrook Gardens in New Milford.
White Hart Inn, Salisbury
November 25 & December 16, 10 am - 4 pm
Looking for an alternative to the big box for your holiday shopping this year? Two special Holiday Artisan Markets hosted by Salisbury Handmade offer the perfect opportunity to shop small and support talented local makers.
These markets will showcase a festive variety of handcrafted items from regional artists and crafters—think fibers, ceramics, woodwork, jewelry and much more! With two separate vendor lineups, each market promises a unique selection of gifts packed with skill, creativity and soul.
Sunday Holiday Makers Shoppes @ Whiting Mills
Whiting Mills, Winsted CT
Sundays until December 17 from 11am-4pm
The Sunday Holiday Makers Shoppes at Whiting Mills are OPEN for Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping every Sunday from November 19 to December 17, from 11am to 4pm. Stroll the Historic Whiting Mill building decorated in Christmas Cheer. You will find 12 resident artists, makers, and specialty shops featuring unique handmade, high-quality items: jewelry, fine art, steam punk, clothing & quilting arts, spices & teas, photography, woven baskets, stained glass, candles, furniture & architectural elements, sculpture, Special FX makeup studio and wellness practitioners.
Admission and Parking are FREE.
Sip & Shop at David M. Hunt Library
David M. Hunt Library, Falls Village CT
November 30, 5-7pm
On Thursday, November 30th from 5-7 pm the David M. Hunt Library will host a "Sip and Shop" as part of their ongoing holiday artisan market. Shop goods produced by local artisans including handprinted table linens, jewelry, candles, cards & art prints, jams, pottery, handmade toys and more. Nibbles and drinks will be provided for you to enjoy while you shop! A portion of the proceeds support the library. The sale continues through the holidays, come in and shop any time the library is open.
Annual Holiday Market @ The Institute for American Indian Studies
The Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington CT
The weekends of November 25, December 2, and December 9
11:00 – 4:00pm each day
Shop for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts from local and Native American vendors selling crafts and jewelry. Take advantage of this time to meet and speak with artists while learning about contemporary Native American art and cultures. Stop by to purchase gourds, pottery, jewelry, rattles, artworks, flutes, and more!
Admission to the holiday market is FREE, but visitors can also tour the museum at the price of admission: $12 for Adults, $10 for Senior, $8 for Children, Free for IAIS Members. Questions? Please call (860) 868-0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org . Donations are always appreciated.
Love it Vegan, Torrington CT
Saturday December 2, 8am-3pm
Local crafters join together to offer their array of creative wares! Jewelry, art, macrame, terrariums, crocheted stuffies, oh my! Fun for all ages.
Eric Sloane Museum, Kent CT
December 2, 10am-4pm
Join us on Saturday, December 2nd, for our first annual Winter Market! This FREE event will feature an artisan and craft vendor market, brand-new art exhibits, historical demonstrations, special tours, and much more! Take advantage of these special museum programs to experience winter-themed programs and Sloane works, never before displayed at the museum, while shopping for great gifts and supporting local artisans during the holiday season.
Goat Boy Soaps Holiday Open House
Goat Boy Soaps, New Milford CT
December 2, 10am-3pm
Gift Baskets, Gift Sets, Molded Holiday Soaps, Local Vendors, Goats!!!, Coffee, Cookies, Bring a Friend 🐐🎁
Salt 2.0, Torrington CT
December 2, 12-4pm
3rd annual Holiday Craft Fair and Vendor Event! Get all the gifts you need and shop from 30+ local vendors at Salt 2.0 and the Warner. Donations collected for charity at the event
Holiday Sip & Shop at Bad Dog Brewing
Bad Dog Brewing, Torrington CT
December 10, 12-4pm
Join Bad Dog Brewing for the 2nd Annual Most amazing shopping event of the year!
We have over 25 hand selected vendors that will be joining us both upstairs and down in this historic firehouse turned brewery.
Santa will be joining us from 1-4 pm so make sure to bring the whole family!
