Holiday shopping starts this upcoming weekend! The Salem Winter Market returns in a new & improved form with special presentations on Sunday, November 22nd from 3 – 7 pm, and Saturday, December 19th from 1 – 5 pm. The indoor market will take place at 217 Essex Street on the pedestrian mall (the Naumkeag Trust building, formerly home to The Gathering).

Did you note that one is before Thanksgiving and the other before Christmas? They could almost be called “Holiday” winter markets. Did that play into the specific dates?

“Absolutely,” explains Kylie Sullivan, executive director of Salem Main Streets and organizer of the market. “There’s a LOT of shopping that needs to be done for the holidays, whether you need ingredients for cooking, gifts for family, friends, or colleagues, or maybe even just a treat for yourself to relieve the stress of this crazy time of year!”

She reveals“The Winter Market has been a fantastic opportunity to support local farms and artisans through the holiday season, but the weekly weekday market we’ve done in past years just wasn’t working for a lot of our customers.”

“Having two weekend events will be much more convenient for many of our shoppers, as well as our vendors. We’re very excited to showcase so many of our usual Farmers’ Market favorites as well as some new vendors in this unique space.”

Obviously, due to the seasonality of produce, many vendors at Salem Winter Market will have very different offering that you’re used to seeing at the summer Salem Farmers’ Market. There will be a lot of squash, leafy greens, and root vegetables, and some of the farmers will be carrying decorative holiday greens, including garlands, wreaths, and kissing balls. There will also be a larger mix of vendors with prepared foods, including baked goods, sweets, and pickles.

But there’s more to the scheduling than meets the eye.

Sullivan adds, “We’ve also timed them to fit in with other community events and increase the festive feeling downtown on those days.”

For example:

• Sunday, Nov. 22 from 2 pm to 5 pm, the Salem Collective of Artists and Musicians (SCAM) will be leading a free lantern-making workshop at the Salem Arts Center (179 Essex Street),  in preparation for Santa’s Arrival and the Tree Lighting on Friday, Nov. 27.
  
• Also on Sunday, Nov. 22, from 11 am to 7 pm, the tenants on Artists’ Row will also be holding a special pop-up shopping event
  
• Saturday, Dec. 19, there will be a Salem Holiday Market being held at Old Town Hall with a number of local artisans.

Something else to be excited about is your continued support of the Farmers’ Market in this 2.0 world.

Sullivan reflects, “At a time when you can buy anything from the internet without out ever speaking to a living person, I think people really miss having a personal relationship with the people who are making the products they buy, and where they can interact with their community. At these markets, you can actually talk to the people who’ve made the lotion, who’ve raised the chickens, who’ve stitched the clothes.”

“You see your neighbors, catch up with long-lost friends, and say hi to a chef from one of our wonderful downtown restaurants as they shop for ingredients for that night’s menu. There’s so much added value when you shop at local markets like ours.”

The Salem Farmers’ Market and Winter Market are organized by Salem Main Streets with assistance from Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, and the City of Salem, Salem Chamber of Commerce, and numerous volunteers. For further information regarding current vendors and Winter Market updates, refer to the Market’s website, Facebook, and Twitter pages, or contact Kylie Sullivan directly at 978-744-0004 x15.