ALTON - Celebrate Small Business Saturday by gathering with your friends and family in Downtown Alton at the Green Gift Bazaar. Alton Main Street is teaming up with the Sierra Club and the YWCA to continue the tradition of “going green” - don’t miss this special occasion to share the historic downtown shopping & dining experience with your loved ones this holiday season.
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The 15th annual Green Gift Bazaar, featuring dozens of eco-artisans and green vendors, will be held on Saturday, November 25th, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the YWCA of Alton, located at 304 E. 3rd St. in Alton. At the event shoppers will be able to shop local and keep their money “home for the holidays”. Why go through the hassle of Black Friday or risk impersonal customer service of Cyber Monday? Instead, make this season’s gift giving a fun adventure by shopping with friendly local artists and independent businesses in your hometown historic district.
There is no entry fee to shop at the Green Gift Bazaar, and you'll receive sale info for a wide assortment of downtown retailers and restaurants to encourage shopping local. Free holiday craft activities will be provided to keep kids entertained while their parents shop. Live entertainment will be provided by multi-instrumentalist Nancy Lippincott. Free gift wrapping will be available on-site, not only for gifts purchased at the bazaar but also for any items purchased at locally-owned stores! Shoppers can also bring their non-working holiday lights to be recycled.
A sampling of the Earth-friendly one-of-a-kind gifts that will be offered at the event is as follows, all handcrafted, recycled, made in the USA or Fair Trade: unique jewelry and art using a variety of upcycled materials, bowls made from ruined records, goat milk soaps, lip balms and other botanically-based body products, luminaries made from discarded tin cans, mittens made from upcycled felted sweaters, macrame wall planters, succulents and cacti, wooden kitchen items, pizza peels and cutting boards handmade from local reclaimed lumber, hand wrapped wire and gemstone jewelry, hand-made baskets, tie dye, soy wax candles and melts, sun-catchers, knit, crochet and felted wears, furniture and home décor made from pallets and barn wood, hand-sewn baby blankets, burp cloths and bibs, fanciful decor with a steampunk aesthetic, rock sculptures, an award-winning Christmas themed book which is an archaeological fiction series centered on Native American sites along the Mississippi River, leather journals with hand crafted paper, fossils, wooden boxes, singing bowls, Celtic stone carvings, toys, beds and treats for dogs and cats, wallets made from men's shirt cuffs, Rosie Wraps - retro style headbands and retro aprons, reusable bags made from upcycled material, handmade African arts and crafts, alpaca wear including hats, gloves, scarves, and socks plus alpaca yarn and raw alpaca fiber that can be hand spun or used for felting / craft projects, and the FORAGER line which uses locally sourced, found materials to grow a line of jewelry that highlights native species and attempts to form a connection between the consumer and environmental science while also educating the public about scientific names.
For more information please visit the “Events” page at www.DowntownAlton.com.
