Your Guide to Brooklyn’s Holiday Markets
(Image via ‘Schwick’s Instagram)
Mid-November means that the countdown for finding those holiday gifts has officially begun. Luckily, in Brooklyn, you can avoid the Black Friday crush and bix box suburban mall wasteland by shopping locally from an array of homegrown merchants. Pop-up markets have started, well, popping up around the borough from Downtown Brooklyn to Coney Island, gathering everything from homemade jewelry to aged cheese in one spot for your perusal. PLus, if you can avoid going anywhere near Union Square in the month of December, honestly, we’d recommend it. Below, a run-down of Brooklyn’s holiday markets.
The brains behind the Grove Alley Nite Market and the Gowanus Nite Market have rounded up 25 Brooklyn-based vendors for a two-day mid-December pop-up. Expect DJs, food trucks, and refreshments from Brooklyn Brewery. What’s better than regular shopping? Drunk shopping!
December 12 & 13; 200 Livingston Street, Downtown Brooklyn
A craft showcase that’s essentially Etsy made flesh, the BUST fair brings over 200 merchants of handmade and vintage everything to Greenpoint. That means knitwear, jewelry, cosmetics, silk-screened stuff, specialty goods, and all manner of other booths. Plus: It’s indoors, which means that you can hunt around without dealing with the winter chill.
December 6 & 7; Brooklyn Expo Center, 79 Franklin Street, Greenpoint
The perfect place to shop for that stylish, artsy-but-upscale relative, the Fince Craft show features work from 90 craft artists from around the country. It’s held inside the Brooklyn Museum’s Beaux-Art Court, so when you’re burned out hunting for gifts, you can pop into some of the exhibits, like the borough-centric Crossing Brooklyn.
November 22 & 23; Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights
Complimentary cocktails and free gift-wrapping add particular appeal to this Brooklyn Makers-hostedpop-up. The 35 artisans on the list include pretzel mavens Fatty Sundays, children’s publisher Home Grown Books, and Brooklyn Bar, Body and Bath.
December 14; 501 Union Street, Gowanus
Pick up everything from pottery to skincare items to toys at the annual Holiday Market in the Greenpoint Loft. And if you get shopped out, you can always stop for a free manicure or swing by the photo booth to mug with some friends.
December 7; 67 West 5th Street, Greenpoint
Yes, it runs all year long, but the Brooklyn Flea is still a great choice for picking up something just right for family and friends. Plus, you can check out the market’s new digs, right beside Crown Heights food hall Berg’n.
Every Saturday and Sunday; 1000 Dean Street, Crown Heights
Holiday Gift Market
This is one that you can feel extra-good about, because the vendors are helping to support nonprofit Coney Island, USA, those proud defenders of the old, weird New York. Plus, you can take a tax deduction for shopping. Santa Claus will also be in attendance, we’re told.
November 29, 1208 Surf Avenue, Coney Island
This new Bushwick market offers everything from apothecary soap to jerk chicken to high-end ginger ale every weekend of the year, but in December, it’ll be going Monday to Friday as well.
Every day in December; 6 Charles Place, Bushwick
Brooklyn Pop-Up Holiday Market
This pop-up debuted in Crown Heights earlier this year, and has moved inside to a space in Bushwick toher the winter. Complimentary sangria and mimosas help fuel all that arduous buying of stuff.
Every Saturday; 279 Starr Street, Bushwick
