Best Holiday Markets In Baltimore

By Joel Furches

The holidays in the city are big events with a lot of celebration surrounding them, and no city enjoys its holidays more than Baltimore. Beginning in November, expect to see holiday markets and events blooming all over Charm City like springtime flowers. If you would like to experience the hustle and celebratory spirit of a holiday market, or you just want to get some shopping done, we recommend that you check out the following events for your time of celebration.

Holiday Heap
2640 Saint Paul St,
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 905-7519
www.charmcitycraftmafia.com/holiday-heap

On December 16th at 10 a.m., if you wander into St. John's Church on St. Paul Street, you will find a bustling scene full of booths loaded with crafts and creative items too numerous to count. The annual Holiday Heap is an event arranged and sponsored by the Charm City Craft Mafia. The Mafia consists of artists who have gathered from all over Baltimore in order to bring arts and crafts to everyone. And the Holiday Heap is their grand accomplishment making some of the finest crafts in the city available for your holiday gift needs.

Between Thanksgiving day and Christmas Eve, the Inner Harbor becomes host to a German-themed Christmas Village. Starting at 11 a.m. each day, the village opens up, and one may wander about its outdoor booths and sample arts, crafts, baked goods and gift items from the separate booths set up by local retailers, bakers and craftsman. Or go into the large, heated indoor area and experience the live German band, vendor booths, the food vendors and various adult beverages available within.

The types of items on sale at the market vary a great deal - from the classic to the modern - as local vendors of every kind look to set up and sell their wares. So stop on by and see everything available.

There are many museums in Baltimore, but The American Art Museum is a unique gallery which features art collected from artists who are usually unrecognized, but ingenious nonetheless. It seeks out the most unusual and uncommon pieces from around the world.

So, of course, when the holidays roll around this museum brings this fascinating brand of art to you. On the weekend of November 24th, come to the museum and browse an enormous variety of art - from paintings to sculptures to jewelry to metal work and much more beside - all available for purchase; and all unique.

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From Thursday, December 7th to Sunday, December 10th, the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) will be holding its annual Art Market. At the market, expect mind-blowing works of art ranging from textile to sculpture and everything in between. The art has been lovingly created by both established and up-and-coming Baltimore artists - which include alumni, students, staff and faculty of the Institute. Not only do you get to browse and purchase the art, but you will have opportunity to talk to the artists themselves.

The Ladew Topiary Gardens is the garden spot of Maryland. The manor, still standing after 270 years, is the center piece of several acres worth of flower gardens, a placid pond and hedges carved into creative shapes such as giraffes, boats, a fox hunt and more.

Each December, the mansion is festively decorated and opened to the public so that they may share in the grand tradition of creative gardening.

Attend the event on December 8th through 11th, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and take the opportunity not just to see the stunning beauty of the gardens and mansion, but also to purchase the finest of holiday decorations for your own home - including greens and arrangements prepared by the Ladew gardening staff. The event will also include gifts that have that regal, classic air so that you may wow your loved ones who cherish the antique.

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