You slept in on Black Friday, skipped the crowds on Small Business Saturday and were still too tired to lift your pinky to shop online on Cyber Monday. Think of it this way: You were just waiting for a better shopping experience. Here's where to find art and handmade wares in the metro area over the next two weeks.
8)15th Annual Print Sale and Party
MATTER
2134 Market Street
8 p.m. Friday, December 11
Typography master Rick Griffith opens the doors of his design firm MATTER once again for its annual one-of-a-kind print sale and MATTERIAL goods sale, beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 11. And after 8 p.m., the records will start spinning, courtesy of DJ Shannon von Kelley. “We are so grateful for all of our communities — the public-art folks, the woodtypers and printers, the hack-a-thon-ers, the students, the clients, the longtime old-timey friends and the new ones, too,” says Griffith. So party on.
7) Deck the DPAC — A Holiday Art Market!
Art Gallery at the DPAC
Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, December 12
Drop by Backstage Coffee in the Denver Performing Arts Complex on December 12, and for one day only you’ll be able to shop for metal, ceramic and glass sculptures; paintings; jewelry; photography and wearable art while also taking in the current gallery exhibit, The Magic Show, with works by local artists. Enjoy the venue’s full bar and cafe, live music and ornament decorating as you browse.
6) Cabal Krampus Christmas Sale & Art Show!
Cabal Gallery
1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, December 12
In the Denver underground, some of us prefer the Bavarian anti-Santa Krampus to Father Christmas, and that’s okay, especially when it means you can buy original art and handmade gifts for all of your alternative besties. Ten artists will be vending during the day at Cabal, and after dark, it’s party time, with food by Euro Crepes, Ska Brewery beer and the pièce de résistance — photo ops with Krampus himself in the Cabal Krampus Cave.
5) Krampus Kraft Fair
Mutiny Information Cafe
10 a.m.to 6 p.m. Saturday, December 12
Denver might be the only town where you can celebrate the Krampus tradition and shop at a couple of places at the same time, on the same day — and even on the same street! Mutiny will have a variety of vendors selling jewelry, art, leather goods, vintage finds and — wait for it — taxidermy. Make a day of happy Krampus gift shopping!
4) #sourcepopup Holiday Market
The Source
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, December 12-13
Dropping by the Source in RiNo is always a shopping and dining adventure for the senses and the palate, but this weekend, that experience will be heightened by the addition of a curated selection of local vendors selling wares, including Valentich Bags, Simply Guapa, Craft Boner, Hygge Life, Doozie Jewelry, Sweet Jayne’s Pies, Haiku Foods Fermentation Class, Handmade Ceramics from Kazu Oba, PB Love, Fancy Tiger Clothing, Adorn Jewelry and others. Should you tire, the RiNo Yacht Club will come to the rescue with a selection of seasonal warm drinks.
3) madelife Holiday Bazaar
madelife
2000 21st Street, Boulder
Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, December 12
Boulder’s madelife gallery, shop and performance space will get your holiday on for one day only on December 12, with all-Colorado pop-up shops, live music, a family photo booth and oracle card readings by Tough Shit Tarot.
2) Holiday Gift And Food Open Farm and Market Day
Broken Shovels Farm
1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, December 13
Out in Adams County, just a short drive from downtown Denver, Broken Shovels Farm — a goat farm, mini-animal sanctuary and cheeserie — will host its last Sunday open farm day of the year with a festive flourish. Meet the sweet goats (the farm also houses chickens, dogs, a turkey, a pig and a bevy of homeless cats), and shop food vendors like WongWayVeg, RedCamper, Stellaria Spellcraft and Kama Sucre, a pastry baker whose specialty is vegan funnel cakes. Broken Shovels will be serving up cheese-and-jam sandwiches grilled over an open fire and hot drinks; if you want something stronger to sip, it’s bring-your-own-beverage.
1) Share Denver Fairfax Market
Share Denver
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, December 19
If you’ve been too busy partying through the holidays to get down to the business of gift-shopping, all is not lost. The DIY crafter’s school and workspace Share Denver waited until the last minute, too, by purposely scheduling its Fairfax Market extravaganza a little late. Buy local and handmade and enjoy hot apple cider as you shop at this friendly venue.
Find more holiday shopping options online at Westword.com.