Holiday Market is this weekend!

The annual Holiday Gift Market is this weekend at the State Fairgrounds. This is your best opportunity to get handmade, local gifts from incredibly talented artists and craftsmen. The event is operated by the organizers of Salem Saturday Market.

The non-profit group Friends of Salem Saturday Market will be hosting a booth with a variety of services:

• Gift Valet: Are your purchases getting heavy? Drop off your packages with our trusty volunteers, and we'll keep them safe while you continue to shop.
• Coat Check: We'll hang on to your coat so you don't have to carry it around. Both services are free, and tips go toward funding FSSM programs.
• Book Sales: FSSM offers a variety of sustainability related book titles, and our members receive a great discount on all titles!  Books this year include "Naturally Clean Home,"  "Recycled Craft Box" for kids, "Recipes from the Root Cellar,"  "Backyard Homestead," and "Keep Chickens!"
• Gift memberships: If you need a gift for that Salemite who has everything, a membership to Friends of Salem Saturday Market is a great idea! As a member, your loved one will receive invitations to farm tours and events, notice of free classes, discounts to community activities, and that warm fuzzy feeling of knowing they're supporting a great cause. These special "super-sized" memberships are active until March 31, 2012! Each one comes packaged in a cute bundle with some FSSM items.
• New memberships & renewals: Now's a great time to purchase your own membership in FSSM. You'll receive the same "super-sized" membership, valid into 2012.  Are you a current FSSM member? Your membership will expire in a few months. You're welcome to renew now to avoid the hassle of doing it through the mail this spring.

You can find our booth on the north end of the Americraft Building. The Holiday Market is Dec. 11 and 12 at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free, but parking costs $3.

Friends of Salem Saturday Market is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting our community with its local farmers, artists and craftsmen. Our projects include:  Free classes, Neighborhood Harvest, Zero Waste Zone, Bike Valet, Urban Farmer Certification, and more.  

See you soon!