Telluride Arts: Holiday Arts Bazaar, 121-12/3

28 Nov Telluride Arts: Holiday Arts Bazaar, 121-12/3

The Telluride Arts’ Telluride Holiday Arts Bazaar is to the Christmas season what the robin is the the spring — it represents the official start to Telluride’s holiday season. The weekend-long event allows shoppers to find unique, hand-crafted gifts and gifts made by regional artisans, all in one place. This year, the holiday market will again take place at the Elks Lodge at 472 W. Pacific Ave. It starts with the Grand Opening Friday, 12/1, 4-8 p.m.; continues on Saturday, 12/2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; and wraps up Sunday, 12/3, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

With the blizzard of online deals and shopping events that make up the holiday season, it can be overwhelming to find the right gift for each person on your list. The Telluride Holiday Arts Bazaar, however, represents a throwback to simpler times, to ye olde Christmas markets of the past, when gifts were handmade, all under one roof, and sold by the vendors who crafted them.

Scarves, wallets and dyed buttons at the 2017 Bazaar. [Photo courtesy of Telluride Arts]

Homemade chocolate, ceramics thrown right here in Telluride, one-of-a-kind batik scarves? Check.

Mosaic art pieces, jewelry and soaps, teas and candles and candies? Yep.

Holiday ornaments to lift that Christmas spirit? Absolutely.

A vendor chats with shoppers at a past Bazaar.

And most importantly for many shoppers, these gifts are easy on the wallet. From stocking-stuffers to the larger gifts, the Bazaar’s gifts are affordable pieces of  usable art.

Jacey Depriest will be selling her gorgeous mugs at the Bazaar. [Photo courtesy of Jacey Depriest]

The traditional event has been going strong for more than 40 years, and there’s a reason. Expect to find wares from favorite artists of past Bazaars like Kathy Green and Lauren Metzer, as well as exciting newer artisans like potter Jacey DePriest and tea-maker Joanna Spindler.

The event will fill the Elks Lodge all weekend.

The Elks Lodge will be stuffed with gift ideas. [Photo courtesy of Telluride Arts]