10 Reasons We Love the Holiday Fair & Craft Bazaar
Our Holiday Fair & Craft Bazaar, which takes place on November 17th and 18th this year, is a one-of-a-kind celebration of the simple joys of the holidays.
Join us on Friday, November 17th from 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Enjoy an adults-only evening with live music, signature drinks, tasty bites, and an incredible array of shopping with 70+ artisans and makers from across the region.
Saturday, November 18th from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. is Family Fun Day, a magical experience for all ages with children's activities and holiday shopping.
We hope you will add the Holiday Fair & Craft Bazaar to your list of holiday traditions. For over 20 years, we have been helping families get into the joyous holiday spirit, shop local, and support small businesses (including LGBTQ+ and BIPOC-owned businesses), and have fun the weekend before Thanksgiving. Won’t you join us? Once you do, we know you’ll be back year after year for this amazing kickoff to a festive season.
Now, about those 10 reasons…
1. The Perfect Start To Your Holidays
The Holiday Fair & Craft Bazaar is a pocket of wonder, hidden away from the harried rush of modern life. Come relax and have fun, and kick off the season with some holiday magic.
2. FREE Night Out Without the Kids
Come out on Friday night, November 17th, and hear amazing live music while you sip on a signature cocktail, enjoy some food, and shop local from some of the best curated artisans in Philadelphia. It’s an affordable, amazing night out and just what you need to get you in the holiday spirit!
3. Extended Cocktail Hour & Amazing Food
Friday night is all about shopping and socializing. Sit with friends, listen to music, eat, and chat in between your shopping. Enjoy a full evening meal if you wish (gluten-free and vegan options available), along with dessert and coffee. We will also have cocktails and boozy hot drinks, as well as alcohol-free drinks. And yes, our signature cocktails will be ready and waiting for your arrival!
4. Gorgeous Arts & Crafts
Our curated vendors make up the very best local artisans in Philadelphia, offering pottery, jewelry, woodwork, print art, fiber art, botanicals, candles, and so much more. See the full list of who’s who here.
5. Festive Beverages
Enjoy a Cozy Cocoa Corner and other special treats. What’s better than a hot drink to keep you warm in chilly November?
6. Scavenger Hunt!
On both Friday and Saturday, we’ll have a Scavenger Hunt with a chance to win door prizes (while supplies last). Simply pick up the Scavenger Hunt sheet at the Welcome Table on Friday night and at the Welcome Table on Saturday. Fill it out as you enjoy the beautiful handmade items throughout the historic halls of our school and bring back your completed sheet to claim a prize!
7. Children-Only Shopping Room
Waldorf parents and guardians have been working many months to fill the Children-Only Shopping Room with true treasures, bound to be lifelong keepsakes for your whole family. Your child leaves you in the hallway to enter a fairy-lit room filled with reverence. Kind adult volunteers will help your child through a space brimming with one-of-a-kind, high-quality, handcrafted items. Your child will trade snowflakes (their currency) for items they’d like to give to a family member. Your child and their helper wrap these presents for loved ones and label them, so they are ready for an upcoming holiday celebration. Children get to feel the joy of giving and are empowered to surprise the ones they love!
8. The Pocket Fairy
The Pocket Fairy is just one of the many beloved traditions at the Holiday Fair & Craft Bazaar. Children trade a snowflake for one item out of any of the Fairy’s many pockets. But which one? There are so many to choose from and children often go back several times because the treasures are beautiful and always different!
9. Enchanted Puppet Play
Enjoy a puppet play for all ages! If you or your little one has never seen a Waldorf puppet play, you are in for a treat. Adorable felted puppets on great adventures capture the undivided attention of children of all ages, from 1-100.
10. AMAZING Make-and-Takes for Kids
Our Holiday Fair & Craft Bazaar make-and-takes are like no other. While we still have the traditional crafts and activities children relish such as face painting, children can also partake in truly original and amazing crafts, such as making their own jump ropes and dipping their own beeswax candles.
