As the leaves change and the holiday season comes into view, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts (GoggleWorks) kicks off the festivities with a one-day Handcrafted Holiday Market. The organization will mount an enormous pop-up shop of artists and makers selling high-quality handmade gifts at a range of prices. The art center is also planning a daylong schedule of interactive programs surrounding the retail pop-up shop. GoggleWorks is a premiere destination for community arts experiences located just a short drive away in Reading, PA. The 145,000 sq. ft. former goggle factory has been retrofitted as a state-of-the-art creative space, and delights in sharing everything from glassblowing to urban gardening daily. With a mission to transform lives through unique interactions with art, they have brought this mission to life with this year’s holiday extravaganza.
Handcrafted Holiday Market
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
201 Washington Street
Reading, PA 19601
Date & Time:
Saturday, December 3rd
10am – 6pm
A shift in focus toward a more inclusive event sets the Handcrafted Holiday Market apart from its predecessor, Arts Festival Reading, which was designed to draw and develop fine art collectors. “Beginning in 2019, we moved the previous juried art fair to just before the holidays and took steps to make it more accessible, including the removal of admissions fees last year,” said Kristy Brown, GoggleWorks Finance Director, who will lead the event alongside volunteer chair Melodie Burkey. “The response from our audience, artists, and community was overwhelming, so we knew that this was the year to launch the Handcrafted Holiday Market.” The event will be added to the art center’s year-round schedule of major events, including the Spring Iron Pour and the recent Pumpkin Palooza, welcoming thousands of visitors to downtown Reading.
“We believe we can develop a craft show that is unlike any other in the country–overpouring with vibrant, hands-on creative and retail shopping experiences, but which also opens its arms to everyone in our community during the holidays,” said Levi Landis, GoggleWorks Executive Director.
To ensure that the Handcrafted Holiday Market showcases major artists that make high-quality work, GoggleWorks will jury in dozens of visiting artists and craftspeople to join its 39 resident studio artists. But leaders are also committed to presenting an event that is fun and accessible for everyone by instituting a pay-what-you-can admission fee and showcasing artists who make affordable handmade gifts for holiday shoppers.
GoggleWorks obviously celebrates the arts more than one day a year, so while on-site, explore beyond the Market throughout the expansive creative campus. The city-block-sized complex features nine large teaching studios in ceramics, hot and warm glass, metalsmithing, photography, printmaking, woodworking, virtual reality, and urban gardening. The campus also boasts 39 juried artist studios, exhibition galleries, The New Store, and the Boscov Film Theatre.
Don’t miss the opportunity to unlock your creative side, enjoy a day with friends and family, and find your perfect gift for the season. With the one-day Handcrafted Holiday Market and another 364 days of creative opportunity, now is the best time to book your calendar and explore the opportunities happening in Reading. With so much to see and do, GoggleWorks is the perfect getaway to start your holiday season.
