Handmade Arcade welcomes winter by announcing its 19th annual Holiday Market, an iconic Pittsburgh tradition. The Holiday Market is the largest event of its kind in the region, drawing over 11,000 shoppers in 2022. The 2023 Holiday Market takes place on Saturday, December 2, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and hosts over 275 makers, including established artists, youth makers, and members of the new BIPOC maker accelerator.
“Every year, we work to make the Holiday Market an even better experience for our makers and fans,” says Tricia Brancolini-Foley, Executive Director. “We were immensely grateful for the success of the 2022 event because it proves how dedicated this community is to supporting independent artists. We can’t wait to thank everyone with a market that is bigger and more celebratory than they’ve ever experienced.”
Over the past 19 years, the Holiday Market has become a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s holiday season and a crucial event that helps keep regional makers in business. The 2022 Holiday Market was the largest event to date at the time, hosting over 250 vendors and bringing in $680,000 in reported sales. The 2023 event, which will be Brancolini-Foley’s final as she steps down from her role in early 2024, expands to host more makers than ever before.
Upcycled clothing designer Imani Batts, owner of Catherine Trendz and member of the 2023 BIPOC Maker Cohort.
Meet the Makers
The 2023 Holiday Market features over 275 makers with a wide variety of artistic disciplines and products, ranging from upcycled clothing to monster-filled screenprints to crocheted jewelry. Attendees can view the virtual catalog on the Handmade Arcade website on Monday, November 20, to browse participating makers’ wares and featured products.
The market showcases the creativity and brilliance of artists and creators of all ages. This year, Handmade Arcade is thrilled to host 13 individual youth makers, one scout troop, youth makers from Protohaven’s youth maker camp, and nine maker classrooms from schools across the region. The event also features the first group of makers from the BIPOC Maker Accelerator, a program that launched earlier this year in partnership with Sustainible, a woman, minority, and immigrant-owned startup in Pittsburgh. The BIPOC Maker Accelerator uplifts historically underrepresented makers, craftspeople, and artists in the region’s maker ecosystem.
“We are always looking for new ways to support our maker community, from supporting and coaching emerging makers on how to participate in a market to ensuring that our event truly represents the diversity of this industry,” says Brancolini-Foley. “By intentionally reaching youth makers and BIPOC makers, we are working to make events like the Holiday Market as accessible as possible to everyone.”
Featured Makers
RaiZArts
Part of the 2023 BIPOC Maker Cohort
Raymont D. Youngblood is a Pittsburgh-based digital illustrator who takes inspiration from classic anime to create punchy digital artworks.
Nox USA
New to Handmade Arcade
Garett Allen makes modern heirlooms from premium vegetable-tanned leather, ranging from hand-stitched wallets to quirky keyrings and luxurious handbags.
Ceramics by Marcè
Part of the 2023 BIPOC Maker Cohort
Marcè Nixon-Washington is a multidisciplinary artist based in Pittsburgh, PA, who crafts handmade ceramics, like mudcloth-patterned vases and her iconic Grillz Cups.
Hands-on Handmade Activities and Artist Demonstrations
Handmade Arcade is partnering with 11 organizations and independent artists to host hands-on activities and artist demonstrations, sponsored by Studebaker Metals. These experiences showcase unique artistic practices and share creative opportunities for attendees to learn about the process of making.
Attendees can create free Make-and-Take crafts, including making LED gift bags with Assemble, crafting creative collages with The Frick Pittsburgh, or decorating a tiny wearable piece of art, among others. These hands-on activities will happen throughout the Holiday Market on December 2 and do not require prior registration.
Attendees will also get to experience interactive artistic processes up close, including large-scale silk screening with Artist Image Resource and students from CAPA High School, blanket crocheting with Project Linus, ceramics and clay wheel-throwing with Union Project, and a glassblowing demo by the Pittsburgh Glass Center, among others.
Hands-on Handmade Activity at the 2022 Holiday Market.
Holiday Market Details
Friday Night Happy Hour (Sponsored by Una Biologicals)
Friday, December 1, 5–7:30 PM
Tickets: $35
Meet the makers in an intimate setting, browse the market before anyone else, and support Handmade Arcade’s year-round programming.
What to expect:
- Glass-blowing demos by Pittsburgh Glass Center
- Exclusive Friday Night Raffle
- 25 free raffle tickets for Saturday's raffle
- Mini gift from Una Biologicals for the first 300 attendees
Early Bird Shopping (Sponsored by Pip & Lola’s Soaps & Sundries)
Saturday, December 3, 9–11 AM
Tickets: $25
This newly extended Handmade Arcade fan favorite event allows shoppers to browse in an intimate setting. Meet the makers, ask questions, and support our year-round programming!
What to expect:
- 2 hours of exclusive shopping before the market opens to the public
- 25 free tickets for the Saturday main event raffle
- Mini gift from Pip & Lola’s for the first 300 attendees
- Cashless concessions: grab a coffee or breakfast snack while you browse
The Main Event
Saturday, December 2, 11 AM–6 PM
Tickets: Free timed tickets
Come to be inspired, and leave with distinctive handcrafted products you won’t find anywhere else! Surprise and delight your loved ones with holiday gifts as unique as they are. You’ll find everything from sustainable clothing and accessories to one-of-a-kind art, innovative home decor, decadent body products, and much more.
What to expect:
- 275+ talented makers from across the U.S.
- Hands-on Handmade Activities led by local artists
- Breathtaking live demonstrations of glass blowing, ceramic throwing, blanket crocheting, and more
- Pittsburgh Glass Center’s annual glass sale
- Cashless concessions
