Holiday Makers Market: Take Home Locally-Made Gifts and Souvenirs Through Sundance
The 24/25 Holiday Makers Market at CREATE PC has been a smash success since its launch on November 22nd. Over 70 Summit County artists and makers have provided unique goods to fulfill all your holiday shopping needs, from fine art, jewelry, artisanal food and beverages, to clothing, home goods, and skincare. The secret is out: Summit County is jam-packed with talented creatives (some of whom make actual jam—yum!), and the good news is they’re sticking around to bring you gifts and souvenirs into 2025.
Yes, you read that right—the Holiday Makers Market will be open through February 2, 2025! This marks the first time the Market will be open during the Sundance Film Festival, enabling residents and visitors to take home a locally-made piece of Park City to commemorate their time at the Festival. The Arts Council is proud to be able to keep the Holiday Makers Market running longer this Winter, as it means our artists and makers have more opportunities than ever to sell their work and share their stories. Dori Pratt, purveyor of soaps, skincare, candles, and knitwear, says she is “ecstatic to be included in this year’s Market,” and is particularly excited to show her work in Park City. “The amount of time the event is open to the public is greatly appreciated! The opening night was well attended, with a lot of energy!” Pratt is one of the many creatives helping the Holiday Makers Market keep that launch-night energy flowing into February.
Kristine Zanno, who makes ornaments, jewelry, card sets, and fine art, was a new maker this year; “I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the Arts Council's Holiday Makers Market this year. It's an honor to see my artwork among so many talented local makers. Everything is beautifully displayed and the way they showcased the artists and makers is so thoughtful.” Zanno is no stranger to selling her artwork, but says the experience of the Holiday Makers Market offers something special to the local creatives who participate. “I have an Etsy shop where I normally sell my art, but this is different. The local support of this kind of market is special. Park City is loyal to its local artists and makers. I have really enjoyed experiencing that support and joy of the season this year.” Zanno also commented on the response from the community, saying “I've sent many holiday shoppers over [to the Holiday Makers Market] through my social media and they all commented how amazing their experience was.”
Holiday Makers Market veteran Mark Maziarz says that the annual program is a source of fun and artistic inspiration: “One of my favorite things about the Holiday Makers Market (other than the great opening parties with lots of art-lovers to talk with and great food to nibble on) is that it is a sort of artistic product incubator for me. Maybe 4 or 5 years ago, I was trying to come up with a lower-priced alternative to the bigger, framed Park City photographs I sell. I started experimenting with photographs mounted to pieces of plywood and protected by a polyurethane coating. Through many different iterations refined by buyers' comments, I finally designed these 6 inch by 6 inch photo blocks encased in a shiny epoxy resin. I've gone on to sell over a hundred of them with the help of the Arts Council.”
Ryan Walsh, who creates upcycled totes from sailcloth, says “The CREATE PC Holiday Makers Market is a great way for makers of varying levels of experience to have their creations made available to the public. The kickoff party was a celebration of being a Park City local as well. I loved reconnecting with so many friends in person.” Photographer Amy Eskind created both functional coasters featuring her photographs, and branched out to make puzzles for the first time: “When the winter comes and night descends early, puzzling is popular. I certainly hope all those who picked up a puzzle to share with family, or to give as a gift, are excited to piece together one of my photographs.”
The Arts Council’s Events & Accessibility Manager Emma Brake has been a key producer of the Holiday Makers Market’s many iterations since 2019. She sees the move to the Kearns Boulevard space as a chance to highlight the work of local artists and makers in an enduring and impactful way. “We are thrilled to shine light on the Arts Council's permanent location with the exposure that the holiday program provides. With a space of our own we are able to feature more local artists and makers for a longer duration than ever before.”
The Holiday Makers Market will be open Wednesday-Sunday from noon-6pm through February 2nd, 2025. Stop by and grab something special, made just for you by a Summit County creative!