Start and finish your holiday gift buying on Virginia's Main Streets.

Choose from locally crafted goods, as well as specialty gifts. Bazaars and craft shows are also excellent shopping opportunities.

Northern Virginia | Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads
Central Virginia | Shenandoah Valley
Chesapeake Bay | Coastal Virginia - Eastern Shore
Heart of Appalachia | Southern Virginia | Blue Ridge Highlands 

Northern Virginia

Events 

Alexandria - Nov 29 - Holiday Open House 2012 - To usher in the holiday season, the Torpedo Factory Art Center is transformed into a festive wonderland! Explore three floors of studios and galleries, mingle with artists, and use our handy Holiday Gift Guide to shop for one-of-a-kind originals for everyone on your gift list.

Warrenton - Nov 30, Dec 7, 14 - Christmas in Historic Warrenton - The magic of the season is everywhere as shop owners stay open late, carolers and seasonal entertainment abound and special elves assist Santa at Gum Drop Square as well as help children do some holiday shopping.

Fredericksburg - Dec 1-2 - Fredericksburg Holiday Craft Show - The annual Holiday Craft Show is your one stop shopping destination where you can find memorable and unique gifts for your family, friends and of course for your pet too. Come join the fun festive mood at one of the area's best Holiday Craft Shows at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

Herndon - Dec 2 - Herndon Holiday Arts & Crafts Show - At this popular annual show, more than 100 arts and craft vendors offer unique gifts, decorations and handmade items.

Where to Shop 

Round Hill - - At the Round Hill Arts Center Gallery one will find the wonderful works by Virginia artisans. RHAC seeks to blur the line which, in the mind of the individual, often separates fine crafts (or "folk arts"), such as woodworking, basketry, weaving, and blacksmithing, from the fine arts: painting, photography, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. To that end, our programs and gallery encourage the juxtaposition of elements of the craft and fine arts traditions.

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Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads

Events 

Hampton - Nov 30 - Dec 1 - Annual Holiday and Kwanzaa Marketplace - Purchase your holiday and Kwanzaa gifts from the Hampton University Museum Shop, specializing in African, African-American, and other multicultural items.

Yorktown - Dec 1 - Yorktown Christmas Market on Main Street - Join us for Yorktown's annual Christmas Market on historic Main Street. The market features musical entertainment, living history exhibits, antique cars, roasted chestnuts, arts and crafts, and much more.

Williamsburg - Dec 5 & 13 - Bassett Hall Holiday Workshop: Swedish Ornaments - Tour Bassett Hall on your own before the workshop and enjoy 1930's holiday decorations and numerous examples of needlework throughout the house. Then during the workshop you'll try your hand at creating a stitched Swedish heart ornament.

Williamsburg - Dec 6 - Bassett Hall Holiday Workshop: Theorem Ornament - This two hour workshop will introduce participants to the art of theorem painting while making a holiday ornament.

Williamsburg - Dec 8 & 22 - Bassett Hall Holiday Workshop: Cross Stitched Ornaments - Tour Bassett Hall on your own before the workshop and enjoy 1930's holiday decorations and numerous examples of needlework throughout the house. Then during the workshop you'll try your hand at creating your own special needlework ornament.

Williamsburg - Dec 15, 20 & 27 - Bassett Hall Holiday Workshop: Hats - Fascinators are the rage today, and in the 1940's Abby Aldrich Rockefeller was fascinated with hats. During this two hour workshop participants will create their own version of today's fascinator style hat.

Portsmouth - Dec 22 - Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum Holiday Tradition - Celebrate the Holiday Season at "Nautical Holidays". Make your own nautical-themed holiday ornament while learning about holiday traditions throughout history.

Where to Shop 

Norfolk - Visit d'ART, 28 studios featuring the works of more than 40 regional artists - all under one roof!

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Central Virginia

Events 

Charlottesville - Nov 29 - Dec 3, Dec 5, 7-8 - Holiday Wreath Workshop - These ever-popular workshops, in their 26th year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful holiday wreath. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. Bring hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center.

Richmond - Nov 29 - Dec 2 - The Bizarre Bazaar's Christmas Collection - Our high quality holiday market place will feature more than 500 exhibitors selling holiday decorations and gifts, gourmet food lines, handmade and imported jewelry and accessories, clothing, toys, quality crafts and fine arts, antiques, reproduction and hand painted furniture, books and decorative accessories for the house and garden.

Lynchburg - Dec 1 - Holiday Wreath-Making Workshops - Make your own natural holiday wreath with greenery from the Cemetery grounds. All materials provided. Seating is limited. Pre-registration required.

Richmond - Dec 1 - Deck the Halls Workshop at Maymont - Whether for an American estate, your home or apartment, creating your own holiday decorations can be fun and easy! Learn from Maymont's experts the special techniques needed to make and take home a traditional boxwood wreath, a mixed greens mantle adornment and door swag.

Appomattox - Dec 8 - Victorian Christmas Ornament Workshop and Pictures with Santa - Get into the holiday spirit by bringing your entire family and joining the staff at the Museum of the Confederacy-Appomattox between 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in making Victorian Christmas ornaments and decorations. Crafts will be easy and fun for both adults and children to make.

Charlottesville - Dec 9 & 15 - My Monticello Gingerbread House Family Workshop - Embrace your inner architect during our first ever My Monticello Gingerbread House Family Workshop. Kids and grownups alike will enjoy this icing intense program. Try your hand at creating your own architectural masterpiece, just like Mr. Jefferson!

Where to Shop 

Stanardsville - Browse and purchase pottery by Holly Horan and sculpture by John Pluta at Noon Whistle Pottery & Sculpture Gallery.

Charlottesville - A. Korotky Studio is a textile and surface design studio, specializing in woven linens, luscious wearables, blankets, wraps, throws, crowns, signs, and inventions of all kinds.

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Shenandoah Valley

Events 

Monterey - Nov 30-Dec 2 - Wintertide - Experience an old-fashioned Christmas in a rural, mountain setting reminiscent of Currier & Ives at Highland County's Wintertide weekend. Galleries, gift and antique stores will extend their shopping hours, and a variety of handcrafted gift items, baked goods and maple products will be available at various Holiday Craft Shows. A Christmas concert will follow the tree-lighting service.

Staunton - Dec 7, 14, 21 - Blow Your Own Glass Ornament - Make an ornament, and a memory. Step into the glass studio and help the glass blower create a one-of-a-kind, keepsake ornament blown by you. Fun for ages 5 & up.

Elkton - Dec 1 - EACC Christmas Bazaar - Local artists, crafts, and antique dealers will sell their wares. Bring the family - Santa Claus will offer sleigh rides after the Bells of Christmas parade and will return at noon.

Harrisonburg - Dec 5 - Festive Greens Annual Workshop - For those who enjoy creating personalized seasonal fresh, fragrant, evergreen holiday décor, an exciting annual EJC Arboretum workshop is offered.

Where to Shop 

Mt. Jackson - The Art Group Gallery, a non-profit artists' cooperative, is a great place to find a plethora of goods by Shenandoah Valley artists.

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Chesapeake Bay

Where to Shop 

Foster - Choose from a multitude of Chesapeake Bay Wildlife themed pottery, wall pieces, decorative tiles, bird houses and more at The Poddery. They're open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.!

Eastern Shore

Where to Shop 

Onancock - The Eastern Shore Art League co-op gallery features 20 artists of the Eastern Shore Art League. Shop for paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor plus mixed media, drawings, photography, wood cuts, small original crafts and jewelry. Most of the works are originals. Giclees, prints, and cards are also available.

Heart of Appalachia

 Where to Shop 

Cedar Bluff - The Appalachian Arts Center is both a retail gallery and exhibition space featuring the work of local and regional artists, craftspeople, authors, and musicians. The Appalachian Arts Center proudly features hand-made work including baskets, book art, clay, drawing, fiber art, glass, greeting cards, jewelry, metal, mixed-media, musical instruments, painting, photography, printmaking, and woodwork.

Haysi - Mountain Art Works is a homey atmosphere that includes locally created paintings, woodwork, afghans, quilts, jams and jellies, candles and much more. Occasionally a local luthier will drop by with a handcrafted guitar, mandolin, fiddle or banjo for sale. Don't miss out on these one-of-a-kind creations!

Southern Virginia

Events 

Martinsville - Dec 6-7 - Painting Workshop with Ed Gowen - Join artist Ed Gowen for a two-day workshop at Piedmont Arts. Gowen will lead students in painting "Evergreen and Old Ivy." Class will meet from 9 am – 3:30 pm each day with a break for lunch. Students are asked to bring a roll of paper towels and a bagged lunch.

Martinsville - Dec 8 - Handmade Holiday Market - You will find unique hand-crafted gifts for your family and friends made by local and regional artisans!

Where to Shop 

Martinsville - de Spot is a unique gallery that showcases the work of Karen Despot. It is now located within The Artisan Center in historic uptown Martinsville! The gallery features an assortment of items including glass, wood craft, ceramics, decorative painting, jewelry, stained glass, delicately hand painted eggs and gourds and just about anything else to satisfy your needs.

Blue Ridge Highlands

Events 

Floyd - Nov 30-Dec 1- Annual Winterfest - This is a great opportunity to start holiday shopping while supporting local artists and artisans. For all the young artists, free children's holiday activities are also offered.

Where to Shop 

Abingdon - Shop crafts by local artisans, juried to be the best of the best, and the most complete collection of Crooked Road old time, bluegrass and gospel music when you shop Heartwood: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Gateway.

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