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Shop Hand Crafted Bainbridge for the Holidays! Gather a carload and shop all over the island…
Unique gifts thoughtfully selected telegraph the value of personal connections, and the holidays are a common time to reaffirm sentiments of love, compassion and care. Bainbridge Island gets into the spirit of Christmas. Downtown is a bustling festive hub of activity; merchants dress up their displays with sparkle and pizazz, Santa comes to town, and the giant star on top of downtown’s tallest tree shines brightly for the winter solstice. Islanders take pride in shopping locally, and greet one other on the streets as they make the rounds of the local businesses.
Every year, the first Fri-Sun in December following Thanksgiving offers a unique opportunity to shop beyond the glitter of downtown, to connect with a bevy of local makers and creators all over the island, where you can select hand crafted gifts made by friends and neighbors to really personalize your gift giving. Many studios and most of the community spaces open their doors to showcase a wide, interesting variety of handmade goods. Some venues highlight one person’s work, while others are a collection of both local and regional artisans sharing a space for the weekend.
The prices and goods vary widely, from inexpensive stocking stuffers to practical gifts to high end art. While cajoling little kids into trekking to every site could take some of the fun out of the adult experience, parents can successfully integrate their children into the joys of giving by carving out a morning or afternoon to make the rounds of selected sites as a family. Photos with Santa are offered at Hazel Creek Farm, and Countryman Stables has no artists, but offers free pony rides. Santa comes to downtown Bainbridge that weekend, just in time for the tree lighting ceremony, so plan accordingly! Bainbridge Island 2018 Holiday Events Guide
Individual studios put out their signs, and several groups promote tours of venues and artisans; and it all happens this weekend. Everyone feels the spirit of the season, and it is always exciting to discover the new works of favorite artisans. Many folks shop all three days, and allow themselves time to return to favorite places more than once…
The mere number of options, websites, brochures and maps can be daunting. Signs proliferate up all over the island, and it can be difficult to figure out who’s where, what’s there and how to plan your outing. Once again, Destination Bainbridge assimilates all known options into one map, with links to various websites of individual studios and collective tours to provide the details of what to expect at each destination. With this all-in-one map, shoppers can streamline travel time and maximize their time enjoying handmade Bainbridge Island! Pull the map up on your phone, and click on the sites to view the address, open hours and details of each site.
Note: The studios listed in the Working Studios group and the Independent Studios group all open their doors throughout the holiday season. Click on the site to view their open days/hours besides the first weekend in December.
Click on the expanded version of the map to see the legend! Or, click on the legend if using a smart phone to see details for each site.
On the website click on each location to see details about open times and artists at this location; on your phone, click on “legend” to see these details.
(This printable map can be printed and used with a Bainbridge street map provided by the Chamber and the addresses can be plugged into car GPS systems.)