HANDMADE ARCADE CELEBRATES 20TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET FEATURING 275+ MAKERS

2024 Holiday Market Sponsor Wren + Rita interacting with a shopper at the 2023 Holiday Market Handmade Arcade will feature over 275 artists, craftspeople, and makers at its 20th annual Holiday Market on Saturday, December 7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Selected from nearly 500 applicants, the featured makers include established artists, new and emerging artists, and the largest cohort of youth makers yet. This year, over 100 makers will be selling at the Holiday Market for the very first time. "After making some big changes to our Holiday Market jurying process this year, we're so thrilled to be welcoming so many new makers to the market for the first time in 2024," says Kelsey Ford, Handmade Arcade's Executive Director. "Part of the joy of shopping at the Holiday Market is finding incredibly unique and creative handmade products you can't find anywhere else. We know Holiday Market shoppers will love meeting so many new makers alongside beloved makers who have sold at the Holiday Market for years." As the region’s largest holiday shopping event, Handmade Arcade's Holiday Market provides significant economic mobility to the region's makers. After the 2023 Holiday Market, makers reported total sales of over $635,000. In the past two decades, makers have made over $4 million in sales at Handmade Arcade-hosted markets alone.  "About half of the makers who sell at our Holiday Market tell us that 50% or more of their total holiday season sales come from our event alone," says Ford. "When you come shop at the Holiday Market, you're not just finding unforgettable handmade gifts. You're also shopping small and helping creative entrepreneurs thrive."  The 2024 Holiday Market features over 275 makers selling a variety of handmade products, including upcycled clothing, innovative artwork, functional and decorative home decor, unique jewelry, and much more. Attendees can explore the Holiday Market Virtual Catalog on Handmade Arcade's website starting November 18 to browse maker profiles and products before the market. The creativity of makers of all ages will be on full display at the Holiday Market. As part of Handmade Arcade's Youth Maker Accelerator funded by The Grable Foundation and the American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, 15 individual youth maker businesses will be featured in the Holiday Market's Youth Maker Alley. Additionally, nine groups of youth maker cohorts will be featured, including Center of Life's The KRUNK Movement, BatCat Press, and more. In addition to shopping, attendees can enjoy free hands-on art-making activities and live arts demonstrations at the Hands-On Handmade Activities (HOHA) area of the Holiday Market. Popular HOHA partners such as the Union Project, Assemble, AIR, and Pittsburgh Glass Center will return alongside new partners such as House of Paidia and Wigenton Candle Company.  Tickets to attend the 2024 Holiday Market on Saturday, December 7 from 11 AM - 6 PM are free, but registration is required. New for 2024, Handmade Arcade will host Sensory-Friendly Shopping during the Holiday Market from 4:30 PM - 6 PM on Saturday, December 7. There are also two special paid ticketed opportunities to shop without the crowds and support Handmade Arcade's year-round support for makers. These include the Friday Night Preview Party on December 6 from 5 PM - 7:30 PM and the Saturday morning Early Birdie Shopping on December 7 from 9 AM - 11 AM. For tickets and more information, visit www.handmadearcade.org/2024-holiday-market. The 2024 Holiday Market is supported by these generous sponsors:  Allegheny Reproductive Health Center Alternate Histories bel monili Boheme Pittsburgh Bridgeway Capital City Cast Pittsburgh commonwealth press Construction Junction Cut & Sew Studio Firecracker Fabrics Fjord + Fable Home Genius Exteriors juNxtaposition Katy Lynn Pottery LUSTER Mars Design Studio North Hills Monthly Magazine  OM Beadwork Pittsburgh City Paper Pittsburgh Latino Magazine Porter Loves Photography, Inc.  QBurgh Sleepy Hollow Handmade Sol Patch Garden Songbird Artistry Soul Pitt Media  Threadbare Cider Una Biologicals  Wood-n-You Like It Wren & Rita ### About Handmade Arcade:  Founded in 2004, Handmade Arcade provides craft-based artists, designers, and makers with opportunities to sell products, build community, and grow as creative entrepreneurs. Handmade Arcade is a pioneer in Pittsburgh's flourishing maker movement, catalyzing and transforming the region's landscape of small arts and craft businesses. Handmade Arcade has connected over 3,000 craft and maker businesses with more than 215,000 shoppers at in-person shopping events over the past two decades. Since 2004, the organization has produced 19 Holiday Markets, five Spring Markets for new and emerging makers, eight Virtual Markets and Catalogs, seven Youth Maker Accelerator cohorts, and many educational workshops supporting small business growth and sustainability. This has led to makers reporting over $4 million in sales at Handmade Arcade-hosted markets alone. Handmade Arcade continues to make year-round contributions that directly impact makers' quality of life and economic success by bridging the gap between creators and their customers.