Holiday Markets in Seattle are often an amazing experience, a place to connect with people who care about their craft. They offer an old-fashioned charm and experience of hand picking the perfect gift for someone you love while enjoying time together with friends or family.

Buying local gives a sense of place, love and care that comes from picking a gift straight from the artist’s hands, from people who are proud of their products. So we recommend supporting local Washington state artisans and giving a gift to remember. Here are some markets that we’d recommend picking up that perfect holiday gift. Most of the Markets are free and they’re all child friendly. The best thing about homemade goods from the Markets is that you can often customize gifts if you have something (or someone) special in mind.

• Scandinavian Holiday Bazaar November 3 & 4 from 9 – 3:00 p.m. Located at the Swedish Club 1920 Dexter Ave N. Seattle Come enjoy all things Scandinavian at this bazaar. If you don’t find gifts you will find lots of Scandinavian food and Viking inspired drinks. Two floors of vendors will be there with unique, Nordic gifts.
• Gobble Up November 17, 10 – 6:00 p.m. Located at the Bell Harbor Conference Center 2211 Alaskan Way, pier 66, Seattle. This is the event to get all of your shopping done in one place. Since everyone loves eating, you can’t go wrong. Gobble up is a one day only, free event with food, condiments and specialty items for the kitchen made from fellow Pacific Northwesterners. If you’re buying for friends and family across the country, it’s the place to go for local flavor.
• Magic in the Market November 24, from 11 – 6:00 p.m. Located at Pike Place Market. It wouldn’t be a list of markets without the mother of all markets. This is the 23 year of the Christmas market. Santa will be available for photo opportunities, live music, hot apple cider and hot chocolate, local shopping, a tree lighting and cookie decorating at the Atrium Kitchen from 12 – 2:00 p.m. for kids under 12.
• Holiday Market at Westlake Park Every Friday- Sunday from November 23 – December 23, from 12 – 5:00 p.m. Located at Westlake Park 401 Pine Street Seattle. Located right in the heart of downtown, the Market at Westlake is a nod to German Christmas markets. Vendors offer handmade items with quality and love in every piece. Enjoy a lovely afternoon outdoors during the holiday season.
• Victorian Christmas Market November 28 – December 2 Wednesday & Thursday 10 – 8:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday 10 – 9:00 p.m. Sunday 10 – 6:00 p.m. Located at the Washington State Fairgrounds110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup. Buy tickets online or bring cash for the front gate. Just 30 minutes South of Renton the Victorian Christmas Market is going on its 31^st year in business. 500 market stalls will be open, food, wine and holiday music will fill the festival with performers on stage, concerts, Christmas lights and actors in period costumes.
• Enchant Seattle Open almost every day from November 23 – December 30^th from 4 – 11:00 p.m. Located at Safeco Field 1250 1^st Ave S. Seattle, buy your tickets ahead of time. This is an exciting event, with ice skating, Santa Claus, dinner and drinks, live entertainment, over 90 holiday vendors and a massive Christmas light maze to wow your kids. This event might become a new tradition.
•   Geek Craft Expo Seattle Holiday Market November 24 & 25 Saturday 10 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday 10 – 4:00 p.m. Located at Magnuson Park Hangar 30, 6310 Northeast 74th Street, Seattle. Register for free online or it’ll cost you $2 at the door. This market is perfect for the nerd in your life, and who doesn’t have a little nerd in them? Buy local from people with personality, over 100 creative vendors are all in one place with funny, fresh ideas for your holiday list. Cosplay is encouraged, and free craft tables will be set up, for kids.
• For a special adventure take a weekend and a scenic 2 hour drive, or even better take a beautiful, snow covered train ride, to the town of Leavenworth for the Christmas Tree Lighting. November 30, December 1-2, 7-9, 14-16, Leavenworth is a Fairytale Bavarian style town in the heart of the Cascades. You’ll be transported to the alps in this German town lit up with Christmas lights and a Bavarian Christmas Market. Gluhwein (mulled wine), Holiday performances, roasted chestnuts, live holiday music, sleigh rides, and Santa Claus himself. It’s a great place to take the kids for a weekend they won’t forget, they can even go sledding right in the middle of town. Book your hotel stay soon, they go quickly.
• Shop-O-Rama Local Artist Craft Fair December 1, from 11:30 – 3:00 p.m. Located at the Wing Luke Museum 719 S. King St. Seattle in the Chinatown International District. Join for the first ever local artist fair. Santa will be available for photos during the market’s opening.
• The Urban Craft Uprising 2018 Winter Show December 1 & 2 Saturday from 10 – 6:00 p.m., Sunday 10 – 5:00 p.m. Seattle Center Exhibition Hall 301 Mercer Street, Seattle After 14 years this show is going strong full of handcrafted products, from local artists. Come find jewelry, bags, wallets, toys, housewares and anything else you can think of. It’s free to enter and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a door bags for the first to enter, but you have to come early to stand in line for this popular event.
• South Lake Union Winter Market December 5 & 6 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Van Vorst Plaza 426 Terry Avenue North Seattle, Free to enter. Another great Urban Craft Uprising Event one week after the big winter show. This event is open for two days and with a rotation of different vendors each day.
• Winter Night Market December 7 from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. December 8 from 12 – 8:00 p.m. Magnuson Park Hangar 30,6310 Northeast 74th Street, Seattle Located inside an airplane hangar, 100 local, handmade vendors, live music, street food and a show welcoming the winter solstice. Free entry, suggested donation of only $1. Per person will benefit a local charity.
• Makers Market Dec 8, 12 – 6:00 p.m. Located at Inscape in SODO 815 Seattle Blvd S, Seattle Come the studios open up to the public with a juried Makers Market with over 30 artists and craftsmen. Find hand-made clothing, jewelry, and more creative gift ideas.
• Winter Feast and Holiday Bazaar December 16, from 10 – 4:00 p.m. Located at the Freemont Sunday Market 3401 Evanston Ave North, Seattle. Find over 100 local vendors and holiday activities. Nice handmade ideas for everyone on your list. And don’t forget yourself, this is a street food bonanza with a killer line up of food trucks and stalls, come hungry.

Come out and enjoy a winter day with family and friends while finding something special for the people you love. Buy local and contribute to the hard work of a local artist.