There’s Fa-la-la-la-la-la-lots to do this month North of Boston. We’ve rounded up the best of events and Holiday Happenings, making it easy to plan your month and keep an eye on that guy with the bag. He’s a shifty character, always climbing down chimneys and eating your cookies.
Holiday Markets
BIPOC Makers Holiday Market | December 11th – 11am – 6pm | Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts
Second Saturday is getting a holiday makeover! Lynn Museum/LynnArts and Creative Collective have teamed up once again to bring you a holiday market featuring local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) vendors. Join us Saturday, December 11th from 10am-6pm at the Lynn Museum (590 Washington Street, Lynn, MA, 01901).
Creative Harbor Pop Up Holiday Market | December 11th from 11am – 4pm | Creative Harbor
Event Description: This month we’re doing something a little different with our art show. In addition to showcasing artwork, we’ve also added gift and craft vendors for holiday shopping. Looking to buy local? Stop by!
FREE PARKING in downtown Salem.
Lawrence Winter Art Walk | Saturday, December 11th from 10am – 4pm | Downtown Lawrence, MA
Event Description: The Lawrence Arts Collective is thrilled to be a coordinating partner in the Lawrence Winter Art Walk, a free, self-guided tour that allows you to explore art hubs, galleries, and businesses throughout Lawrence’s Historic Downtown District. Lawrence-area artists and creatives are joining together to host this event on Saturday, December 11th from 10 AM-4 PM. The Winter Art Walk will feature open studios, gallery viewings, live demonstrations, performances, and other unique offerings throughout the day for visitors to explore Lawrence’s creative hubs.
Participating organizations include 599 Studios, Ateneo Dominicano, SaludArte (hosted at Colectiva Wellness & Healing), El Taller Cafe & Bookstore, Elevated Thought, Essex Art Center, Lawrence Public Library, and One Broadway Collaborative. Artwork by @katedelaney
Lucille Wine Shop’s Christmas Bazaar! | Sunday, December 12th from 12-4pm
Event Description: Join us for our first Christmas Bazaar as we feature local makers, artisans, artists and crafters. Shop small, shop local while enjoying a selection of wine, beer, warm mulled wine and light snacks alongside listening to some live Christmas jazz music. We are collaborating with local vendors and retail shops to make it a true holiday stroll in DT Lynn. See below for a list of participating vendors.
Very Salty Holiday Fair | Sunday, December 12th from 12-4 pm | Salty Buddha, 58 Pulaski St. Peabody MA
Event Description: time for a very salty holiday fair! 
save the date for an afternoon of shopping + more with some of the best local businesses around 
We’ll be hosting dozens of local businesses, artisans, and more. Expect to see some new salty merch ❤️🔥
and special year end SALES
Haunt The Halls with Freaks, Antiques, and Uniques | Sunday, December 12th from 12-5 pm | Old Town Hall, Salem
Event Description: Enjoy shopping 40+ vendors on two floors! Our vendors offer the strange and unusual. You can find amazing gifts of Oddities, Curiosities, Antiques, Macabre, Horror, Goth, wet specimens, taxidermy, unique jewelry, occult, skulls, bones, steampunk, dark art, creepy dolls and so much more! Satisfy your inner weirdo or shop for the freak in your life with the incredible merchandise our vendors have created. When you take home a handmade gift from our local artists, crafters and creators you are not only receiving an original piece of art, you are supporting our local artists and creative community! Thank you in advance for supporting small businesses, local crafters, creators and artists this holiday season!
Gulu Gulu Cafe Holiday Art Market | Monday and Tuesday, December 13th, 14th, 20th, and 21st from 5pm to 8pm | Gulu Gulu Cafe, Salem
Event Description: Gulu Gulu Cafe is happy to host our first (hopefully annual!) Holiday Art Market! The cafe will feature local Salem artisans and crafters with a wide variety of wares for gifts for friends, family, or you. Come grab a drink and explore!
Notch German Holiday Market | Sunday December 5th and 19th from 12pm – 5pm | Notch, Salem
Event Description: A holiday sip and shop experience featuring over 20 local artists, makers, craftspeople, vintage vendors, street performers, and more!
Salem Holiday Market | December 18th from 12pm-6pm | Old Town Hall, Salem
Event Description: The one and only Salem Holiday Market is back for its 8th year! Your one stop, last minute holiday shopping bazaar featuring over 60 unique vendors from around the region. Specializing in one-of-kind art, oddities and curiosities, handmade wares, mystical gifts, antiques and vintage and specialty food. Held at the beautifully historic Old Town Hall in downtown Salem Massachusetts. Mark your calendars and save the date for the area’s most unusual holiday gift show.
Shipyard Art Sip & Shop with Hervor Soaps & Glass by Merk. | December 19th from 12pm-6pm | 114 Washington St., Unit 5, Marblehead
Event Description: Sunday, December 19, 12-5… OPEN STUDIO & SIP AND SHOP at Shipyard Art for you last minute shoppers! We will have some hot spiked cider, and wine to enjoy while you shop with me and TWO guests from out of town. Hervor Soaps and Glass By Merk will be joining me so you can maximize your Christmas shopping. Come see my studio and my guests, and enjoy an adult beverage. If you know me, you know it will be FUN! I’m above Haley’s in Marblehead, and a sandwich board will be out on the sidewalk. Hope to see you next Sunday! 114 Washington St., Unit 5, Marblehead.
Live Performance, Concerts, and Screenings
Sunday, December 5th @ 7:00pm – Rock the holidays with Darlene Love | The Cabot, BeverlyThursday, December 9th @ 7:30pm – National Lampoons Christmas Vacation | The Cabot, BeverlySaturday, December 11th @ 12pm and 4pm – The Nutcracker by Greater Salem Ballet Company | Lynn AuditoriumSaturday, December 11th @ 10:00pm – Koto Krampus Christmas | Koto, SalemSunday, December 12th @ 3:00pm – The Paul Madore Chorale presents “I Sing the Sacred Vision” | The Bridge at 211, Salem- Thursday, December 16th – Jingle & Mingle with the EC Jazz/Rock Ensemble | Endicott College
- Friday, December 17th @ 7:00pm – Holiday Classics Virtual Concert and Telethon | Facebook Live
- Friday, December 17th @ 6:30pm, Saturday December 18th @ 1:00pm & 6:30pm, and Sunday December 19th @ 1:00pm – The Nutcracker | The Cabot, Beverly
- Friday, December 17th, 18th, and 21st @ 7:30pm Shadows of the Season with Intramersive | Pierce Farm at Witch Hill
- Saturday, December 18th @ 7:00pm | Demons, Monsters, And Pagans – The True Story Of Christmas | The Satanic Temple Headquarters, Salem
- Saturday, December 18th @ 8:00pm | Holiday Spectacular | Opus Underground, Salem
- Sunday, December 19th @ 3:00pm | Salem Common Neighborhood Association’s free holiday concert | Murray Hall – The Bridge at 211, Salem
- Tuesday, December 21st @ 6:30pm | The Tidings: A Christmas Concert for Those Who Grieve | The Cabot, Beverly
- Thursday, December 30th @ 8:00pm – New Year Comedy Blowout | The Cabot, Beverly
- Friday, December 31st @ 8:30pm – New Year’s Eve with Ryan Montbleau Band | The Cabot, Beverly
- Friday, December 31st @ 3:00pm – Beverly’s New Year | Virtual event
- Friday, December 31st @ 9:00pm – New Year’s Eve Open Mic | One Broadway Collaborative
Holiday Character Meet and Greets, Parties, and Workshops
Friday, December 3rd and December 17th @ 6:00pm – Knit and Sip | Granite Coast Brewing, PeabodySaturday, December 4, 2021 – Salem Krampusnacht/ Krampuslauf 2021 | Notch, SalemSaturday, December 4th @ 9:30pm – Decade 80s Night in December | Koto, SalemSunday, December 5th @ 11am – Bark and Brews with Santa | Granite Coast Brewing, Peabody- 12/11, 12/12, 12/18, & 12/19 by Appointment Only – Photos with Krampus | Maison Vampyr
Friday, December 10th @ 4pm – Ugly Sweater Party | Gentile Brewing Company, BeverlySaturday, December 11th @ 2:00pm – Vintage Ceramic Christmas Tree Open Workshop | Create and Escape, PeabodyTuesday, December 14th @ 4pm | Wreath Making | Notch, Salem- Sunday, December 19th @ 9am | Breakfast with Santa | Finz Seafood and Grill, Salem
- Tuesday, December 21st @ 6pm | Radiating our divine light: a Solstice Celebration and Transfiguration Practice | The Salty Buddha, Peabody
- Thursday, December 23rd @4:00pm | Festivus for the Rest of Us | Gentile Brewing Company, Beverly
- Friday, December 31st @ 9:30pm | Retro New Years Eve Party | Koto, Salem
Kid-Specific Events
Saturday, December 4th @ 10am – Kids Breakfast and Crafts with Santa | Create and Escape, PeabodySaturday, December 4th @ 4:00pm – Nutcracker Magic Dance Party Event with Mini Movers | ReachArts, SwampscottSunday, December 5th @ 11am – Kids DIY Gingerbread House Workshop | Create and Escape, Peabody- Thursday, December 9th and 16th – Winter Wonderland Story Movement Mini-session with Mini Movers | ReachArts, Swampscott
Friday, December 10th @ 5:00pm – Polar Express Dance Party with Mini Movers | ReachArts, SwampscottFriday, December 10th @ 5:30pm – December Kids Movie, Crafts, and Pizza Night | Create and Escape, PeabodySaturday, December 11th @ 10:30am – Karen K and the Jitterbugs Holiday Special | The Cabot, BeverlySunday, December 12th @3:30pm – Family Gingerbread Man Story and Crafts | Create and Escape, Peabody
Creative Collective’s 2021 #StayLocal Campaign
Initiative encourages community to shop small and support local small businesses this November and December
The approaching Holiday season is putting people in the shopping, eating, and drinking mood as small businesses across the North Shore are gearing up for the busiest time of the year. Following up the successful 2020 #StayLocal campaign, Creative Collective is launching #StayLocal2021, encouraging individuals to shop and support small this upcoming holiday season. Learn more.
