Bright summer weekend walks weaving through numerous specialty booths downtown may no longer be, but the eccentric Eugene artisans behind the market magic have found a temporary home for the holidays.
In all its tie-dyed, hippie flare glory, accompanied by live seasonal music and in the warmth of indoors, the Eugene Saturday Market lives on: for unique holiday gifts, for an hour or two of time kill and for local community support.
From beautiful pottery pieces to fiber optic rave light toys, the hundreds of featured local artists have something for everyone on your list.
Looking for a unique jewelry piece as special as the person you’re picking it up for? You’ll find more than 30 local jewelry artists, each with individual styles and techniques. Arto’cycle, which upcycles vintage trinkets and toys into colorful and uncommon jewelry pieces, features kooky, one-of-a-kind earrings, perfect for quirky girlfriends and crazy aunts alike. Forgeries craft pieces of precious metals into gorgeous neck pieces and bangles, with a style reminiscent and great for fans of “Game of Thrones.”
Sally Bogardus, who spent her summer on a boat catching almost 30 tons of albacore, vends her canned catches, along with specialty handmade tuna delicacies.
“I will always love fishing,” Bogardus said. “And I will always love the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ of those trying the product of it. It’s good stuff.’”
For those looking for something entirely unique, Raven Moon sells his handmade painted rattlers and masks. Character shakers in all sizes, large colorful skulls and beautifully mystical masks line his counter.
“I take inspiration from the world around me. Everything has art potential,” he said, rattling a large Jabba the Hutt in beat with the live music nearby.
Other creative outlets to be noted include Marsh Missiles, which hand-makes and sells intricate marshmallow guns; Twylyte Hour Products, a BDSM leather vendor; and Hap-Hazard Creativity, where homemade liquor bottle lamps brighten the surrounding area.
One of the more interesting products featured in the market is at Savage Expedition Gear, where the owner crafts “survival belts” that also double as wild game snares and fire starters. Perfect for your outdoor-loving friends and loved ones.
Looking for a new scent or a gift for the beauty product crazed? Kathleen Houghton of Pioneer Natural Soaps & Candles handcrafts soy candles, lotions and body sprays in unique, potent scents like Nagchampa, Maple Caramel Brulée and Hops and Sweet Ale.
“I started by just making and experimenting with them for myself,” she explained. “I didn’t think anything of it. Friends, and then friends of friends, and then so on, began telling me how much they loved the quality of my product. I thought they were crazy but strangers seem to agree.”
Other popular beauty vendors include Magic Mineral Make-up, where artisan Kaje Walker sells “better than Bare Minerals” shadows and foundations, and Milk ‘n Honey Herbal Products, where Sarah Smith develops blends of dried flowers and herbs for facial steaming astringents and beautiful body massage oils in clear, decorative glass bottles.
Explore the hundreds of unique artisan vendors and enjoy live music and international cuisine at the Lane County Exhibit Hall at 13th Avenue and Jefferson Street.