How to Shop Small and Shop Local This Holiday Season

There’s nothing more exciting than finding the perfect gift for a loved one or close friend. Sometimes it jumps out and screams, “buy me!” Other times, you have to spend a little time searching.

Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to shop. Mark your calendars because we’ve compiled a list of our favorite pop-ups, markets and bazaars around town this holiday season. These are the shopping events you won’t want to miss.

Small Business Saturday

At The Austinot, we’re all about supporting local. Whether it’s clothing, jewelry or handmade goods, we prefer if it’s made here in the capital of Texas. So while Black Friday deals are tempting, we urge you to wait one extra day and check out these Small Business Saturday events.

BYRON & BLUE and Paper + Craft Pantry

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BYRON & BLUE and Paper + Craft Pantry are two East Austin staples. For the first time, these two shops are coming together for a Small Business Saturday Market extravaganza. The event will be held at BYRON & BLUE on East 5th Street and will host more than 10 local vendors, including Passport Vintage, Watchman Woodworks and The Distillery. The event will feature special markdowns, raffle prize, DIY station and complimentary beverages.

Nov. 26 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
BYRON & BLUE – 908 E. 5th St. #106
Website

Miranda Bennett Pop-Up

Miranda Bennett is the designer behind Miranda Bennett Studio, a collection of plant dyed apparel produced in the U.S.A. Her design ethos is simple: to create pieces that can be worn from “day to evening and season to season.”

Olive, an east side brick and mortar that specializes in independent designs and vintage wear, is hosting a pop-up that features Bennett’s designs. Stop in and shop for a bit! And for some yummy post-shopping eats, we suggest walking over to Paperboy or Blue Dahlia. Talk about the ideal Saturday afternoon!

Nov. 26 from 12-4 p.m.
Olive – 1200 E. 11th St. #101

Go Local Shop Small Pop-Up

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More than 15 local artisans will gather together in one place to celebrate Small Business Saturday. Presented by Eastside Pop Up and hosted by The Little Darlin’, this event is the perfect addition to your Saturday shopping plans. Shoppers can check out local art and designs while brunching on small bites and sipping on cocktails. There will also be a toy drive, so be sure to bring a gift to donate!

Nov. 26 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Little Darlin’ – 6507 Circle S Road
Website

Holiday Bazaars, Fairs, Markets

While we love Small Business Saturday, we realize not everyone can get their holiday shopping done in one day. Fortunately there are many holiday markets and pop-ups that extend beyond Thanksgiving weekend. Here are a few we love.

Renegade Craft Fair

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The Renegade Craft Fair is back—this time at Fair Market. The two-day event encompasses every aspect of the Austin community, featuring local goods, festive celebrations, artisanal food and drink, and live music. And with more than 100 vendor booths, attendees can spend an entire afternoon—or two!—browsing gift ideas, workshops and interactive activities.

Nov. 26-27 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Fair Market – 1100 E. 5th St.
Website

Austin IBIZ Districts Holiday Shop Hop

For more than 10 years, the IBIZ District program has been supporting and promoting Austin’s neighborhood business districts, encompassing an area where 75% of businesses are locally owned. This year’s Holiday Shop Hop features sales, specials, food and drink offerings, and plenty of holiday cheer. Austin currently has eight districts holding over 400 locally owned businesses. So plan your visit accordingly because there’s a lot of shopping to be done.

Dec. 3 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
IBIZ Districts – Various locations
Website

Blue Genie Art Bazaar  

A photo posted by Blue Genie Art Bazaar (@bluegenieartbazaar) on Nov 27, 2015 at 3:49pm PST

Blue Genie Art Bazaar is an Austin favorite. The annual event features more than 200 artists with an array of handmade goods ranging from paintings to jewelry to clothing to glasswork. Blue Genie Art Bazaar really does have it all. It’s a big space and there’s a lot to take in, but don’t worry if you can’t see it all on Day 1. The event lasts for an entire month. It’s family-friendly and worth multiple visits this holiday season.

If you’ve been in years past, note the new location for this year.

Nov. 25—Dec. 24 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
6100 Airport Blvd.
Website

The Fine Goods Pop Up

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The Fine Goods Pop Up, Holiday Edition is the event’s fourth installment and the second holiday-themed event. Visitors can meet and shop from 12 local vendors, eat yummy sweets from Baked by Amy’s and sip on beverages from Mighty Swell Cocktails. The arts and crafts event is hosted by The Distillery and will be held at The Paper + Craft Pantry.

Dec. 7 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
The Paper + Craft Pantry – 2511 E. 6th St. A

German Christmas Market

The German Christmas Market is an annual event put on by the German-Texan Heritage Society. The market offers visitors an authentic German Christmas experience, complete with imported handmade German crafts, a German Sankt Nikolas, Glühwein (hot spiced wine), baked goods and traditional holiday music. This German Christmas tradition is a fun cultural experience the entire family can enjoy.

Dec. 3 from 10 a.m-4 p.m.
German Free School of Austin – 507 E. 10th St.
Website 

Austin is full of talented artists and creative individuals. So whether you’re shopping on Small Business Saturday or planning to attend a holiday bazaar, we encourage you to shop local. You’re bound to find something you love.

 

@sbrugal wants to know:

Where do you shop local during the holiday season in Austin?