Seattle Craft Fairs and Makers Markets: Where to Buy Handmade

Since 2005, this women-owned company has run what it calls Seattle’s largest indie craft show, twice a year. The winter show fills Seattle Center’s Exhibition Hall with more than 150 juried vendors in craft, art and design, and the summer show takes over Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park. Both are free, and the winter show alone draws close to 15,000 shoppers over a weekend.

When

Winter Show, a weekend in early December, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Summer Show, a weekend in late July.

Good for

Holiday shopping in one go, discovering new local brands, and gifts you won’t see in a mall.

Know before you go

Admission is free, with a suggested $2 donation. The first 100 in line get swag bags, and the line can start by 8 a.m. Crowds peak in the first few hours, so go after lunch, or buy a ticket for the winter-only Friday Preview Night.

Renegade Craft runs maker fairs in five cities across the country, and Seattle now gets three a year, all held indoors. Each is a big room of independent makers to browse at your own pace. With dates spread from late spring to the start of the holidays, it’s the easiest of the large shows to fit into your year.

When

Recently three times a year: late May and late November at Magnuson Park’s Hangar 30, and October at Seattle Center’s Exhibition Hall.

Good for

Contemporary design, a spring shopping trip, and early holiday gifts.

The Northwest Art Alliance’s juried show is the place to go when you want a serious piece, not a stocking stuffer: more than 120 Pacific Northwest artists at the fall show, which turns Hangar 30 from an empty hangar into a full fine art show. A spring show follows in April. In February, the alliance also runs Fiber + Flair, a free wearable-art show at the National Nordic Museum.

When

Fall show in November, spring show in April. Spring 2027 is April 17 and 18; Fiber + Flair is February 6 and 7, 2027.

Good for

Fine craft and art for your home, meeting artists, and gifts worth saving up for.

Know before you go

Advance tickets are discounted, and the fall show opens with a Friday VIP preview.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association has run its winter festival for more than four decades, and it’s still one of the PNA’s biggest fundraisers. More than 140 local vendors spread across the Phinney Center’s two buildings with handmade jewelry, ceramics, textiles, woodwork, prints and photography, plus a juried fine art show of 40 artists. The bake sale and the preschool co-op’s fresh wreaths are neighborhood traditions in their own right.

When

A weekend in early December: a 21+ Preview Night on Friday, then Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Good for

A family outing, handmade gifts, and supporting a neighborhood center that runs meals, senior services and a tool library.

Know before you go

Weekend tickets are $10 ($5 for PNA members), and kids under 12 get in free; the Preview Night costs more and has limited capacity. Parking is very limited, so take Metro Route 5 or 45. A free shuttle runs between the two buildings.

Founded in 1937, the Seattle Weavers’ Guild holds a three-day sale every October in Bloedel Hall behind St. Mark’s Cathedral on north Capitol Hill. Members bring thousands of original fiber pieces: rugs, blankets, towels, scarves and jackets, sculptural baskets, jewelry, and handspun, hand-dyed yarn and tools for people who make their own. It’s the most specialized sale on this list, and one of the most rewarding.

When

A Thursday evening through Saturday in late October.

Good for

Textiles and fiber art, knitters and weavers stocking up, and heirloom-quality gifts.

Know before you go

Parking is free during the sale.

Every month since 1997, shops, bars and restaurants in Ballard have turned into pop-up galleries for an evening. The Ballard Alliance and local businesses pair each venue with a local artist; recent hosts have included Ballard Books, Sonic Boom Records and Smål Gallery. It’s a free, easy way to meet artists and buy straight from them.

When

Second Saturday of every month, 6 to 9 p.m.

Good for

A low-key Saturday night out, meeting local artists, and starting a collection.

Know before you go

It’s free. The lineup and map are posted on the ArtWalk page before each date.

On the same Saturday as Ballard’s walk, Georgetown opens up its studios, galleries, cafes and breweries for Art Attack, run by the Georgetown Business Association. Recent lineups have run to almost 30 venues, from Fantagraphics and Gage Academy of Art to Slip Stitch and the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall. Because it’s spread across working studio buildings, it feels more like a neighborhood open house than a gallery crawl.

When

Second Saturday of every month. Hours vary by venue, with many open from midafternoon into the evening.

Good for

Studio visits, buying directly from working artists, and an evening that ends at a brewery.

Know before you go

Check the venue list before you go; each stop sets its own hours.

Pioneer Square‘s galleries, studios and shops open their doors on the first Thursday of every month for a free, self-guided walk. The neighborhood bills it as the longest-running art walk in the nation. There’s no single organizer or curator, so each gallery sets its own show, and you can see a lot of art in a couple of hours.

When

First Thursday of every month. Each venue sets its own hours.

Good for

After-work plans, gallery hopping, and seeing what Seattle artists are making now.

Know before you go

Parking is free from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Frye Garage (117 3rd Ave S) and 450 Alaskan, with a voucher from any participating gallery or venue.

Looking for vintage instead of handmade? Try our flea and vintage markets guide. For night markets and the holiday markets at museums and cultural centers, see our pop-ups and night markets guide, and for everyday ways to shop small, our guide to supporting local.

Know a spot we missed? Tell us.