5+ Uptown Holiday Markets Where You Can Support Local Artisans and Makers
Shop local this holiday season at these festive Uptown markets.
What better way to embrace the magic of the season than making your way to a holiday market? From winter wonderland-inspired bazaars to blissful block parties, throughout the month of December, Uptown will be bustling with festive celebrations that are collectively rooted in uplifting local entrepreneurship and spreading the joy of community.
Whether you’re in search of the perfect locally-made gift that’ll remind a loved one afar of home, you want to experience a taste of the community’s colorful culinary scene, or you’re looking to tap into the power of connection, there are so many fun-filled events to add to this season’s bucket list. Dive into this roundup of holiday markets where you can support Uptown artisans and makers.
Chamber of Commerce of Washington Heights & Inwood x Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance’s Holiday Market
Date: Thursday, Dec. 12 | 4:00 PM
Location: 4140 Broadway, New York, NY 10033
To ring in the festive season, the Chamber of Commerce of Washington Heights & Inwood is collaborating with cultural cornerstones to spread cheer throughout the Uptown community. Among the lineup of planned events is a holiday market hosted in partnership with the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance where shoppers can check out handcrafted gifts, immerse themselves in the work of local artists, and celebrate the season with neighbors over cups of complimentary hot chocolate. Other festivities include holiday tree decorating at Plaza de las Americas, ornament-making sessions with the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, a drumline with Annette A. Aguilar’s Bean Bloco, tree decorating with Columbia Community Service grantee Community League of the Heights, a Toys for Tots drive at the historic United Palace, and a community open mic hosted by Buunni Coffee.
NYC Celebrates Women’s Holiday Market
Date: Saturday, Dec. 14 | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: 530 W 166th St., New York, NY 10032
NYC Celebrates Women—an organization with a mission rooted in empowering women of color entrepreneurs and closing the generational wealth gap—is hosting a seasonal soirée in Washington Heights that spotlights local women-owned businesses. The nonprofit has teamed up with the Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center to curate a holiday market where shoppers can discover bespoke brands and products and learn about the resilient and inspiring backstories of their creation from many of the founders themselves. From soy wax hand-poured candles to rare jewelry pieces, and children’s books penned by diverse authors, you’re bound to find a gift for everyone on your list. The fun-filled event will be a celebration of local economic empowerment and entrepreneurship.
The Children's Art Carnival Holiday Artists’ Sale and Open Studios
Date: Dec. 14 and Dec. 15 | 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: 62 Hamilton Terrace, New York, NY 10031
This holiday season, Children's Art Carnival (CAC)—a Hamilton Heights-based arts education-focused nonprofit—is hosting a festive celebration of Uptown creativity. Merging commerce and crafts, during this event attendees will be able to shop for locally-made original art pieces, home goods, and fashion garments, and embrace their inner artist through immersive activities like painting picturesque watercolor holiday cards. The CAC’s ground floor will transform into a pop-up art show featuring the work of Uptown's finest visual artists. Whether you’re in search of the perfect find for the art enthusiast on your gift list or looking for a vibrant piece of visual art to spruce up your apartment before the holiday hosting begins, the CAC Holiday Artists’ Sale and Open Studios is a must-add to your Uptown shopping itinerary.
Harlem Night Market at La Marqueta
Date: Dec. 14 and Dec. 21 | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: 112th St. and Park Ave., New York, NY 10035
Make your way to the heart of East Harlem for the ultimate Uptown-inspired holiday experience at La Marqueta. Harlem Night Market—a community-driven fête collaboratively produced by Uptown Grand Central, TBo Harlem, and New York City Economic Development Corporation with support from a collective of elected officials and local nonprofits—will be a massive celebration of local entrepreneurship. You’ll be able to explore a maker’s market for gift shopping, indulge in delicious food crafted by Uptown culinary connoisseurs, and connect over Cocotazo hot chocolate and immersive holiday activities led by Urban Garden Center, El Museo del Barrio, La Marqueta Artisans, and Harlem Needle Arts. Depending on which day you stop by the market, you can catch Sunny Cheeba and DJ Stormin' Norman on the 1s and 2s. It’ll be a vibrant event that you won’t want to miss.
Night Markets NYC’s Uptown Holiday Market
Date: Dec. 14, Dec. 21, and Dec. 28 | 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: 116 Bradhurst Ave., New York, NY 10039
Centered on community, culture, and culinary innovation, Night Markets NYC is putting a holiday twist on its highly-touted open-air festival. Continuing its mission to celebrate the cultural diversity that shapes New York City’s small business scene, throughout December the collective is hosting a seasonal series of pop-up markets at the Jackie Robinson Park Bandshell. The iconic Harlem amphitheater will be filled with one-of-a-kind finds creatively crafted by artisans and makers, a smorgasbord of local eats that are inspired by global influences, and other seasonal treats. The Bronx edition will commence every Sunday this month. Indulge in neighborhood noshes and novelties that will add a little Uptown flair to your holiday season.
The Schomburg Shop’s Holiday Market
Date: Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 | 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Location: 515 Malcolm X Blvd., New York, NY 10037
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem has long harbored art, artifacts, relics, and research illustrative of different historical chapters. The reverence for preservation, and cultural expression extends to the institution’s gift store. This December, The Schomburg Shop—open all year round—is hosting its annual holiday market where shoppers can support Black-owned small businesses in the Harlem community. With a curated selection of statement stationary items, poignant art pieces, gift boxes adorned in Ankara print, fragrant luxury candles, pieces of literature that celebrate voices across the Diaspora, and more, stopping by the Schomburg Shop’s Holiday Market is a must.