There’s a common thread through late-season markets: They come with drinks or sips or possibly some mood-altering puffs, all surefire pathways to a more relaxed place when the holidays begin to overwhelm. Best of all, you can still get some of that pesky gift-shopping done, buy local and support your favorite vendors and makers in the process! Done, done and done. Here’s a taste of this weekend’s wealth of markets that blend gift-shopping and chillaxing.
Old School Cool Market Presents: A Vintage Holiday Gift Pop-Up!
Fort Greene Bar, 321 East 45th Avenue
Friday, December 14, 5 to 10 p.m.
Vintage-clothing blogger Lexi Goes Thrifting and Old School Cool Vintage Market bring you an all-vintage pop-up with a focus on the holidays to Fort Greene, bubbling over with jewelry, collectibles, novelty tees and other giftable items from the past. Most vendors will be set up indoors, with the Denver Fashion Truck and Heir Vintage parked outside. Bring your friends: It’s in a bar!
5 Green Boxes Sip ’n’ Shop
5 Green Boxes, 1570 South Pearl Street and 1596 South Pearl Street
Friday, December 14, 5 to 8 p.m.
The double-edged 5 Green Boxes boutiques on South Pearl Street — the little store, with clothing and accessories, and the big store, full of housewares, gift items, doodads, home decor, ornaments and the unexpected — will both open their doors on Friday for an evening of glorious gift shopping. Libations will be served, and all tea towels will be 20 percent off, because they’re just the thing you might need while serving up showcased maker Sweet Jayne’s unbelievable baked sweets.
A Ridiculous Holiday Extravaganza
Alternation Brewing Company, 1539 South Broadway
Friday, December 14, 6 to 10 p.m.
First off, Alternation promises several holiday beers on tap, ramen by Mu Denver, photo ops with Santa, menorah lightings, a Christmas tree and a Festivus pole, music by Jon Ham, and a great mix of artisans and makers at this party with shopping. But why ridiculous? That’s your job: To come in whatever silly holiday attire you can come up with, from ugly sweaters to reindeer onesies. And there’s an incentive: The best costume in the room will win you a to-go beer sampler pack.
Extra Vitamins Holiday Pop-Up + Party
Extra Vitamins, 3002 Larimer Street
Saturday, December 15, 6 p.m. to midnight
The graphic design team Extra Vitamins opens its RiNo studio and workshop on Saturday evening for a shopping spree with exclusive items and price breaks you won’t get online or anywhere else. Choose from tees, mugs, pins, prints and art books, all emblazoned with Extra Vitamins’s cheerful trademark semiotic designs in bright colors. There’s also a $10 bargain bin to peruse, and, yes, it’s a party, with libations and music.
Mona Lucero Holiday Pop-Up & Reception
Kanon Collective, 766 Santa Fe Drive
Saturday, December 15, 6 to 10 p.m.
At her pop-up at the Kanon Collective, Denver fashion maven and designer Mona Lucero will share her latest designs and old favorites, from the up-to-the-minute Retro Fantasy petticoated circle skirts she’s recently shown on local runways to classic draped dresses, baby handbags and butterfly-appliqued berets that would look equally great on little girls or geriatric fashion divas. Peruse the line, have a sip, and maybe you can commission a made-to-order treasure to give yourself — and check out Kanon’s Bibelot show while you’re in the gallery. If you’re in the giving mood, Lucero is asking guests to donate a new stuffed animal for the Colfax Community Network.
Shop Local Holiday Fair
Baere Brewing Company, 320 Broadway
Saturday, December 15, 4 to 8 p.m.
Baere Brewing brings back its holiday sale this year with slightly later hours and an all-star cast of local makers, including Miniatures for a Modern World, Crafted Art Emporium, Cultura Craft Chocolate and other goodies, from Miss Lupulin’s hops-leaf “beerings” to handmade soaps. Speaking of suds, Baere will offer a special tapping and bottle release, and the brewery’s own merchandise and to-go beers will be available to shoppers.
Last Chance Gift Fest
Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont
Saturday, December 15, 5 to 9 p.m.
Sunday, December 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Last Chance represents the traditional craft and gift market with a whopping 175 vendors of of art, crafts, toys, home decor, food items and everything Christmas over two days at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. Saturday is a night market, while Sunday’s market goes down with the sun, and admission is always free.
European Christmas Market
Light Rail Art Gallery and Gifts, 5771 Olde Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
Saturday, December 15, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Looking for small-town ambience on the edge of the big city? Find everything from CBD oils and tarot readings to more traditional jewelry, original art and other last-minute gifts while sipping spiced cider and wine and noshing on cookies at this old-world market.
Holiday Burner Bazaar!
The Fusion Factory, 3563 Walnut Street
Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16, noon to 7 p.m. daily
The Burner community comes out full force for the Fusion Factory’s annual holiday bazaar, which advertises itself as being both “family and freak friendly.” It’s a platform for a fierce world of DIY makers who create jewelry, vegan chocolates, rainbow-colored fake-fur coats, glow-in-the dark festival gear, kombucha and just about any far-out, new-agey thing they can dream up. Admission is free, as is the general mood of the venue.
Canna Christmas Market
International Church of Cannabis, 400 South Logan Street
Saturday, December 15, 2 to 6 p.m.
Admission free, $5 donations accepted for the International Church of Cannabis
Register in advance at eventbrite.com
Colorado’s weed industry supports a whole side industry of pot paraphernalia, art and adornments, so the Canna Christmas Market isn’t much of a stretch — and what better place to have it than at the wildly decorated International Church of Cannabis? The family-friendly market includes pot-related hemp and CBD products, glass and smoking accessories, healing remedies and oils, as well as jewelry, clothing and original art. Learn more about the International Church of Cannabis online.
Bella Luna Holiday Sip & Shop
Bella Luna Gifts & Gallery, 2045 Downing Street
Saturday, December 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The colorful gift shop Bella Luna combines originals by more than thirty local artists and global fair-trade items from Uganda and across Latin America all year long, but for the holidays, the shelves are especially heavy with beautiful gifts: jewelry, folk art, knitted goods, paintings, metaphysical items and more. Sip & Shop specials include a 10 percent discount on all purchases over $50, along with drinks and tidbits, and you can also get your fortune told: Psychic readers will be in the house between noon and 4 p.m.
Christkindlesmarkt
The Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project, 925 West Eighth Avenue
Saturday, December 15, 2 to 6 p.m.
It’s going to be a busy day Saturday at Intrepid Sojourner, where in addition to a choice selection of Christkindlesmarkt craft vendors to browse in the afternoon, the brewery’s Gingerbread Invitational will be under way from 1 to 11 p.m. The second annual challenge pits various breweries against one another in an architectural cookie-house showdown, includes a 5:30 p.m. cookie pairing with Good Sugar Baking, and culminates in the tapping of a Gingerbread Bock collaboration with Spice Trade Brewing. Ho ho ho.
The Misfit Market
Whittier Community Center, 2900 Downing Street
Sunday, December 16, 4 to 7 p.m.
The folks who once ran Deer Pile will pop up at the Whittier Community Center, Sunday, for the Misfit Market, a throwback to the misfit toys of television’s classic holiday show Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that combines unique vendors of clothing, totes, original art and more with a set of comedy by Ben Kronberg, music by Joseph Sampson and food by Adrian P. Mesa. We call that a night to remember.
Holiday Pop-Up Alternative Art & Gift Show
Alternative Arts Tattoo, 8966 West Bowles Avenue, Littleton
Sunday, December 16, noon to 6 p.m.
This pop-up caters to the tattoo crowd, with handcrafts, original art and oddities from Tangled Threads, Rocky Mountain Punk, Brainsicle and Alternative Arts tattoo artist Fritz, as well as less arcane gifts like small-batch dog treats by Bare Bones BARKtique, handbags and nail-color strips.
Holiday Bazaar
The Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe & Brewery, 4369 Stuart Street
Sunday, December 16, 3 to 6 p.m.
Have a sandwich, quaff a brew and shop a swell group of local artisans at the Grateful Gnome, where you’ll find glass art, handcrafted cakes, mosaic art and other holiday gifts and treats, all on a Sunday afternoon. Chill and swill.
Mistletoe Marketplace
Halcyon, 245 Columbine Street
Monday, December 17, 6 to 8 p.m.
For a tonier take on holiday gift shopping, hit the Halcyon on Monday, December 17, for a happy-hour spree that brings together a variety of Cherry Creek North retailers under one roof. It’s free to browse and comes with one free drink (cash bar thereafter), vendor giveaways and other goodies.
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Crafts and Drafts Solstice Market
3 Kings Tavern, 60 South Broadway,
Thursday, December 20, 7 p.m. to midnight
Looking for a raucous place to celebrate the solstice, have some beer and find some vintage, weird and handmade gifts for your drinking buddies and BFFs? Look no further than the 3 Kings watering hole, where Crafts and Drafts goes until midnight, with tunes from Big J Beats after 9 p.m.
Procrastinators Holiday Mini Market
Woods Boss Brewing, 2210 California Street
Thursday, December 20, 5 to 9 p.m.
We’re looking at you, procrastinators. You know who you are. Why not slink down to the Procrastinators Holiday Mini Market and redeem yourself by shopping for last-minute gifts with others of your kind? Woods Boss will make it even more worth your while by injecting the evening with some fun: Wear an ugly Christmas sweater, and you’ll get a dollar discount on your brew.
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