The talent of San Antonio artisans flourishes during the gift-giving holiday season, when local maker markets sprout up throughout the city.
Here’s a selection of holiday markets offering handmade goods, fun fashions, baked treats, warming beverages and much more.
Peace Market
The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center’s 35th Annual International Mercado de Paz/Peace Market runs Friday through Sunday, featuring more than 80 local artists and artisans alongside 10 new international vendors from Colombia and Mexico.
Music from 15 local artists including Conjunto Heritage Taller, The Foreign Arm, Zombie Bazaar Panza Fusion and Alyson Alonzo will enhance the festivities, with affordable food options on the side.
Hops and Hounds, Last Chance
Also Friday, the Hops and Hounds dog park and beer garden opens its Black Friday Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Specialty drinks and a food truck will complement local vendor booths.
Then on Dec. 6, Last Chance Market holds its Holiday Night City at Texas Public Radio headquarters in the heart of downtown for holiday shopping, live music and food pop-ups.
And on Dec. 8 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Last Chance Market and Hops and Hounds team up for a family-oriented holiday market
SAMA
The San Antonio Museum of Art supports Small Business Saturday with its Holiday Market and Family Fun day, running Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the museum’s cozy Luby courtyard.
Forty vendors will offer their wares, with a background of live music. A 1 p.m. break for children’s story time with Magik Theatre will captivate the kids.
Tobin Center
The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts joins in the fun Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with its Holiday Art Market, with more than 100 local vendors including Viola Leder ceramics, Southern Syrups, Viva Chabela clothing, Sisters from Texas jewelry and Mi Mías Mexican fashions.
The arts-focused nonprofit will offer pop-up performances, and Santa will be available for photographs throughout the day.
La Villita
La Villita Historic Arts Village offers year-round local artisan shopping and food options, but brings things outdoors for its weekly Saturday Market Days, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 28.
A roster of events includes live cooking demonstrations from guest chefs, dance troupe performances and live music.
Holidays on Houston
Holidays on Houston Street runs from Friday through Jan. 2, filling storefronts from Legacy Park to the Alamo with holiday goods.
Then from Dec. 13-15, the Holidays on Houston Street Market fills the blocks from Legacy Park to the Alamo with festive crafts and fun food offerings.
And on Dec. 20, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the San Antonio Coffee Festival joins in for a new coffee-themed event, Hot Holidays on Houston Street. A selection of seasonal beverages including coffee, cocktails and Mexican hot chocolate will warm shoppers seeking out local goods.
AIT-SCM
From Dec. 9 to 13, American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM) offers its Winter Yanaguana Artisan Market in the Spirit Waters Art Gallery.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, AIT-SCM will expand its regular gift shop offerings to include an array of leather works, hand-made ornaments, holistic medicines, jewelry and fine art daily from noon to 7 p.m.
