Chasqui Manos Andinas at Whiteaker Community Winter Market

The Best of Local Holiday Shopping

The Whiteaker Community Winter Market is now underway

If you’re looking to buy small and local this holiday season, the Whiteaker Community Winter Market could be just the place.

The market, which opened Nov. 20 and runs through Dec. 19, features 75 vendors rotating inside the pop-up tent at Mountain Rose Herbs annex. Additionally, the Whiteaker Market has booths at the Lane County Farmers Market.

Claire Schechtman, the market manager, says the market includes artists, food vendors and vendors selling house plants as well as makers “I think they are artists as well,” Schechtman says.

Among the vendors is High Street Tonics, which features craft herbal bitters and herbal tonics. Another vendor is Eric Wonderly Varela, a Eugene-based cartoonist and illustrator whose work is inspired by his love for the natural world and his Honduran heritage.

Lela Sky Healing with Lela Sky offers handmade products that inspire self care practices, and Chasqui Manos Andinas with Mikaela Andrade works with artisans in Bolivia through fair trade principles for quality alpaca wool clothing, accessories and home textiles.

For vendors and customers alike who are not yet ready to step into public with a pandemic still going on, the Winter Market has what it calls its Cozy & Connected virtual market. “I’m just so happy we’re able to offer that,” Schechtman says.

The Cozy & Connected virtual Whiteaker Winter Pop-Up Market runs through Dec. 31 at WhiteakerCommunityMarket.com. Saturday in-person shopping at Mountain Rose Herbs (152 W. 5th Avenue) is noon to 5 pm Nov. 27, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. Sunday’s in-person schedule at Mountain Rose is 11 am to 4 pm Nov. 28, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19. The pop-up market’s schedule at Lane County Farmers Market, 5th Avenue between High and Oak Streets, is 9 am to 3 pm Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18.