As the holidays approach, the last of the major artists markets and shop local events return with three exciting stops in three sections of the city this weekend.
Thursday night is the ever-expanding
Uptown Holiday Shop Hop (or as cleverly suggested via their advertising this year, the Ho Ho Ho). More than 50 businesses spread throughout the three Uptown business districts offer some of the best of local shopping with Thursday night deals at almost every stop.
This year’s lead sponsor, Griffin Properties, along with other area sponsors have added six shuttles to transport you quickly to as many shops as you think you can hit in one night. The streets come to life with carolers and hosts of neighbors and visitors alike, all proudly supporting the local love in public. There are even great places to nosh should you grow weary and need to refuel. A complete list of the Holiday Shop Hop venues and offers can be found
here.
On Saturday, the
Urban Lights Holiday Market in Heartside’s Avenue for the Arts on S. Division will bathe the area in the warm glow of candlelight as various shops and studios come alive. Artistic gifts will be hidden like jewels behind the steamy windows that line the street, offering only a tiny glimpse into this artist community.
And while it is not uncommon to find handmade items like scarves and mittens, jewelry, prints, and ceramic pieces, I would love to showcase a few other unique aspects of this festival as shared by Dwelling Place’s Jenn Schaub, who works closely with the artist community to create this festival each year.
The new Ice Cream Gallery, located at 117 S. Division, will have artists creating work on site for the public to observe and purchase. Also, artisan Kyle Schroeder will be milling about throughout the day, serving hot cocoa out of vintage mugs.
There is one new launch everyone is dying to see in person after following its progress on Facebook for weeks. Marlee Cook Parrott’s Have Company Camper in the parking lot of 106 S. Division is a mobile space/artist studio and a sort of a new chapter or, as I like to call it, a stop-and-pop-up shop. This will be the very first time that the public will be able to see it after watching it evolve.
If you get hungry, there is always the 200 block of S. Division, where The Starving Artist, the catering and supper club business of Torrance O'Haire, is open to the public for the evening. Think of this as performance art you can eat, or our version of
The Artist Is Present…er, Serving. Whatever you do, "the annual Heartside Gallery Holiday show is NOT to be misssed,” Shaub warns.
Finally, if the thought of crowed streets or bustling shops is not your thing, then go really small and visit the annual
Beerhorst Family Christmas Open House, where a family in the city puts on a darling display of goods that they have created. It is so intimate and private, you may not want to ever leave. It is unlike any other event you will encounter in the city, so be sure to place this on your list this weekend.
Most of all, when you support local businesses or artists, you are validating their existence in our community and creating a value that is beyond dollars. It just makes perfect sense to support your local hometown heroes. It's a game plan that continues to make Grand Rapids unique.
Admission: Free