The Tenino Holiday Market Comes Back for a Second Year of Artisanal Shopping

The Tenino Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Tenino Arts put on its second annual Holiday Market this past weekend. The event took place over a three-day weekend just after Thanksgiving, prime time for holiday shopping and festive decor. In the beautiful Kodiak Room in our historic downtown, where couples make their vows and champagne toasts are given, 30 local artisans set up booths under the sparkling lights and chandeliers. Handmade products ranging from goat’s milk soap to upcycled metal art to hand carved glass were out for display, offering artisanal products for all tastes and budgets.

Community members waiting for our doors to open on Friday morning.

The event kicked off the morning after Thanksgiving with a long line of shoppers waiting for doors to open. A steady stream of shoppers continued throughout the day, with one couple mentioning they had done most of their Christmas shopping at this event last year and had been looking forward to attending a second time. The checkout line stretched down the walkway and our vendors rushed in to restock their booths.

Hand carved wooden Santas by Mavrick from Hatchet Job Carvings.

Saturday and Sunday brought in more excited shoppers from all around, impressed at the variety of products that you couldn’t find just anywhere. The Tenino Young-at-Heart Theatre welcomed our guests with cheery caroling as they entered the Kodiak Room doors on Friday and Saturday, and Ross Robinson filled the room with authentic folk music as shoppers made their way through the market. The Tenino Young-at-Heart Theatre performed inside on Sunday as the Holiday Market drew to a close.

Tenino Young-at-Heart Theatre caroling outside of the Kodiak Room as shoppers make their way inside.

It was a combination of the Tenino Arts organization, the Tenino Area Chamber of Commerce, and our artisanal volunteers that made this event so successful. Donna Mayo, owner of glass art booth Of Water Wind and Woods and President of the Tenino Arts nonprofit organization, shared:

“For me, it’s the community aspect that I appreciate most. As small business owners it is imperative that our efforts have a financial payoff, but our small venue affords us more. We have the opportunity to connect with each other as well as invest and encourage. Jenny and I were pleased to find artisans sharing each other’s social media posts and sharing tips & experiences as shifts were worked. That just doesn’t happen everywhere else. There is something special about our events and our collection of creative types. I believe our customers sense it and they linger.”

Glass artwork by Of Water Wind and Woods.

Tenino Arts exists to support local artisans and engage the community. Our community is filled with talented and creative individuals and our purpose is to create opportunities for that talent to be appreciated. The event featured debut artists at their very first craft fair to seasoned vendors several years in, and everything in between.

Art in the Attic making her debut entrance into craft fairs at the Tenino Holiday Market.

The Tenino Arts community continues to grow and embrace the creative arts. Donna shares that “Our local officials are pretty proud of Tenino’s growing arts culture and the downtown businesses have seen an uptick in customer count when we hold events. We are a positive influence and we have been encouraged to keep it up.

‘We have some seriously talented and innovative artists in our collective. It’s exciting for what will be created and revealed next.”