(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Alchemy Initiative’s sixth annual Handmade Holiday Festival – a curated holiday market featuring contemporary artisans, designers and food producers – takes place at the Paterson Field House at Berkshire Community College on Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 10 to 5pm and Sunday, December 7, 2014, from 10am to 3pm.
This year the market has moved to a new venue to accommodate additional vendors and shoppers.
“We have had two successful seasons managing the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market and at the end of each season our shoppers have asked us to hold a winter farmers market,” said Alchemy Initiative’s Director Jess Conzo. “This year, we looked at our amazing group of farmers and food producers and decided we needed to expand our Handmade Holiday Festival to include them. We are excited to provide a holiday market that offers locally roasted coffee, brittle, pies, jams, jellies, sauces, meats, honey, wreaths and other holiday greenery after the farmers market season has ended.”
Alchemy Initiative encourages the community to come out and shop local and handmade for the holidays. Shoppers will find a wide variety of artisanal goods including jewelry, ceramics, bath and body products, silk-screened apparel, wooden cutting boards, children’s toys and more. Food producers will also have a presence at this year’s market.
Local arts supporter and foodie Danielle Steinmann is a regular shopper at the holiday sale. She says, “I love shopping at the Handmade Holiday Festival. I know I can always find beautiful, unique things for friends, family, and, I admit, often for myself! More importantly, I’m proud to support local artists, many of whom are friends. It’s great to be able to talk to the artists about their creations, and those stories make the gift even more special. I usually end up spending the afternoon hanging out, eating, and meeting friends. It’s a terrific community event.”
Dancing Bare Soap
Participating vendors are listed below under several categories.
Children’s: KnitSquid Fiber Arts, Lupine & Lily and Petit Pilou
Ceramics: Ben Evans Ceramics, Michael Boroniec Ceramics and Stephanie Boyd Works
Jewelry & Accessories: Allie Designs, Boo & Butters Jewelry, C.E. Golden, Jess Fitzgerald Studio, Meraki, Popko Shop, Robin’s Creations, Stacie Mincher Designs, The Petal Collection, Vermont Pearls and Wendy Darling Designs
Wellness: Dancing Bare Soap, Green Meads Farm Herbals and Wake Robin Botanicals
Fine Art, Photography & Paper: 3 Little Birds, Berkshire Four Poster, Danny O, Diane Firtell Designs, Heidi Wallman, Hey Kate Kimball!, Marguerite Bride Fine Arts, MaryJo Nicole and Novel Idea Book Purses
Home Goods: Arty Party (students from Miss Hall’s School), Berkshire Barrel Works, Hawk Dance Farm, JK Custom Furniture & Design and Roots & Rust
Fiber Arts: Bradley Street Studios, Ellen Howard Handmade, Kristen Tool Textiles, Martha Flood Design, Moho Designs and That Scarf
Farmers & Food Producers: Assembly Coffee Roasters, Berkshire Wildflower Honey, Bug Hill Farm, Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, For the Love of Pie, Mount Williams Greenhouses, Mill River Farm, Red Apple Butchers, Tortured Orchard and The Inn at Stockbridge
Atalanta Sunguroff, owner of Wake Robin Botanicals and vendor at the Handmade Holiday Festival since 2012 says: “Alchemy Initiative’s Handmade Holiday Festival feels like a big community gathering. As a vendor I get a local opportunity to support my business and I am deeply touched by all of my returning customers who have inspired tea blends and other herbal potions. Not only is it a great event for my business and a way to support local artisans and producers, but I get to revel in the music and lovely hum of people mingling. A wonderful festive event! Don’t miss it!”
The annual event is free and open to the public. All weekend long, local musicians will keep the festive spirit high and hot food and drinks will be available for shoppers. There will be an opportunity for shoppers to make their own holiday decorations, both days from 10 am to 3pm. On Saturday students from Miss Hall’s School will lead a free 3-D paper star-making activity and on Sunday Lucie Castaldo from IS183 will lead a free garland-making activity. IS183 will be offering a 10% discount on their winter classes for kids or adults when they sign up at the Handmade Holiday Festival.
The Paterson Field House at Berkshire Community College is located at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. Plenty of free parking. Handicap accessible.
Through the exploration of sustainability and creativity, Alchemy Initiative enlivens, engages and educates the greater Berkshires, fostering a healthier community. Programs include year-round workshops, the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market and the Handmade Holiday Festival. For more information, visit or contact Jess Conzo, Executive Director at jessiconz@gmail.com.