Queen City Market

10 chances to get all your gift-shopping done in one place

You don’t need to go to a mall to do all your holiday shopping in one place. In fact, you’ve only yourself to blame if you subject yourself to that nightmare, because here are 10 good reasons not to:

Local authors book signing at Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society

Local Authors Book Signing

Buffalo History Museum, 25 Nottingham Court

Saturday, November 24, noon-2pm

This fun, relaxed alternative to frenzied holiday shopping features more than 45 local authors on hand to meet and greet readers and sign purchased books. Authors such as John Allen, Mary Dolce, AV’s own Bruce Fisher, Linda Fritz, John Koerner, Nancy Mingus, Stephen Myers, Mike Rizzo, Cynthia Van Ness, Mason Winfield (who has a piece on page 2 of this issue), and many more will be present. The range of publications will include cookbooks, neighborhood, regional, and military history, novels, and coffee-table books. Books will be available for purchase in museum shop alongside Buffalo-themed gifts, jewelry, fine art prints, maps, educational toys, and special Abraham Lincoln/1901 Pan-American Exposition-themed items.

Artists in Buffalo Holiday Open Studios & Galleries

Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Avenue

Friday, November 30, 5-9pm; Saturday, December 1, 11am-6pm; Sunday, December 2, 11am-6pm

Each year, the Artists in Buffalo Holiday Open Studios & Galleries event plays matchmaker between more than 100 local artists and artisans and the art-appreciating and art-collecting public. This year a great many of these will show their work at the Burchfield Penney, but that’s not the half of it: For a full list of participating artists, galleries, and studio spaces, visit www.artistsinbuffalo.org. There you will also find details about how to enter the Artful Raffle for a chance to win gift baskets filled with art, gift certificates, and goods from local merchants.

Parkside Community Association's 5th Annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair

Parkside Community Association’s 5th Annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair

Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 96 Jewett Parkway

Saturday, November 24, 10am-5pm

Get a jump-start on your gift shopping the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Parkside Community Association’s Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair. The fair will feature locally made artwork and gifts including photography, jewelry, scarves, pottery, soaps, lotions, candles, and more. $2 admission includes $1 off purchase over $10 coupon.

464 Gallery’s Holiday Art Market

464 Gallery, 464 Amherst Street

Opens Thursday, November 29. Special event December 14. Through January 2.

464 Gallery’s Holiday Art Market will feature locally made artwork, ceramics, photography, jewelry, woodwork, fine art, crafts, and more. The market will run through January 2. A special event, 464 Presents Presents, on Friday, December 14, will feature retail art items under $150.

Yuletide in the Country Holiday Artisan Market

Fairgrounds Gaming and Raceway Clubhouse, 5600 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg

Saturday, December 1 & Sunday, December 2, 10am-5pm

This is a big one: nearly 200 artisans, live music, food, holiday cooking and decorating demonstrations, the whole nine yards. Yuletide in the Country may not feel as hip as the Queen City Market or WNYBAC’s annual holiday sales event, but it is absolutely chock-full of gift ideas and entertainment. Tickets are $5 at the door, children under 12 get in free.

Light Up the Season in Western New York

Impact Artists’ Gallery, 2495 Main Street

Opens Friday, December 7, 5-7:30pm. Through December 29

Consider art as your holiday gift, large or small, framed or unframed. Locally made artworks including paintings, drawings, photography, ceramics, art cards, fiber arts, papermaking, enviro-art, mixed media/collage, art dolls, art cards, and more. The art gift exhibit opens with a meet-the-artists reception on Friday, December 7 from 5-7:30pm and is on view through December 29.

Rust Belt Threads at the Queen City Market

Queen City Market

Karpeles Manuscript Museum, 453 Porter Avenue

Saturday, December 8, 11am-4pm

Last year’s Queen City Market was such a success that it’s back again this season. More than 50 local fine artists, crafters, vintage goods sellers, and more will peddle fine art, photography, ceramics, crafts, ornaments, vintage items, and more. Food available from Amy’s Place food truck, Rolling Joe Cafe, and others. It’s like shopping Etsy—but in person. There will be a collection of nonperishable food items for the Food Bank of WNY, too.

Squeaky’s 12th Annual Dysfunctional Holiday Party

Squeaky Wheel, 712 Main Street

Saturday, December 15, 8pm

Okay, in fact this is as much a party as it is to tie up any gift-giving loose ends that WNYBAC’s bazaar could not resolve. But there will be a gift basket auction, and you know those things can be turned right around and given to someone else, as well as vendors. There will also be music, installations, and screenings. $7 general admission, $5 for members.

Elmwood/Lafayette Winter Farmers' Market

Elmwood/Lafayette Winter Farmers’ Market

Lafayette Presbyterian Church, 875 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo

Saturdays, 10am-2pm

Elmwood/Lafayette Winter Farmers’ Market is a casual organization of Western New York farmers and artisan producers making their products available to Buffalo’s Elmwood Village community. Available for purchase are fresh eggs, heritage meats and poultry, produce, maple syrup, baked goods and breads, USDA Organic NYS honey and bee products, jam, fruit butters, wines, artisan cheese and dairy, pasta, goat’s milk fudge and soaps, alpaca fiber products, and more. The market runs Saturdays, 10am-2pm, through April 27.

WNYBAC’s 5th Annual Last Minute Panic Holiday Marketplace

Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington Street

Friday, December 14 & Saturday, December 15, noon-6pm

More than 25 local artists will be on hand, selling everything from knitted goods to handprinted greeting cards and posters. This annual event has quietly—poerhaps too quietly—become one of the most surefire gift-shopping options of the season. The Amy’s Place food truck will be there and Friday, and Lloyd Taco Truck will be there Saturday.

Neighborly Shopping: Grant Central • Hertel Avenue • Elmwood Avenue • Allentown

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