What do a Haida jewellery maker, a Ukrainian-Canadian clothing designer, and a proudly sober wine bottle artist have in common? They’re all part of this year’s Circle Craft Holiday Market. Western Canada’s largest craft fair will once again fill the Vancouver Convention Centre, from November 8 to 12, where visitors can connect with skilled artisans, take in live demonstrations, and enjoy festive food and drink while getting ahead of their holiday shopping.
A beloved Vancouver tradition since 1974, the Circle Craft Holiday Market draws artists, makers and craftspeople from Canada coast to coast, with this year’s event showcasing 291 vendors from as far as Halifax, Nova Scotia, spread out over 135,000 square feet of Convention Centre space. Featured arts range from ceramics, glass, metals and wood to jewellery, textiles and paper. Packaged foods, bath and body products, and even skateboard art are also in the mix; this is a market that proves that no one is “impossible to buy for.”
The 2023 market exhibitors comprise 24 Budding Artists, 87 new vendors, and 42 members of the Circle Craft Co-op, an artist-run endeavour with its flagship store located on Granville Island year-round. This year’s wares include Indigenous-made items, traditional crafts made modern, as well as a focus on sustainability, recycled materials, and non-gendered, size-inclusive fashions.
For a full list of vendors, visit signatures.ca/circle-craft-artisans
Tickets are available (with a free re-admission pass) at ticketme.ca/event/circle-craft-2023/