2025 Holiday Market Maker Portal
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Please plan to attend our virtual Accepted Maker Meeting on September 25 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM on Zoom. It will be recorded, but we encourage you to attend live if you can. This meeting will be helpful for both new and returning makers.
2025 Full Event Schedule
Friday, December 5
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Makers will be assigned a 30-minute arrival window between 10 AM - 2 PM for load-in arrival. Assigned load-in times will be provided in November.
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This will be a more quiet shopping session with no music playing. It will include the following shoppers:
Sensory-Friendly Shoppers
Retail Partners
This shopping time will be for pay-what-you-can ticketing with limited attendees to allow for a more quiet shopping experience.
Retail Partners will be indicated by a button provided by Handmade Arcade. These partners will receive a special map of the Holiday Market indicating which makers are open to wholesale opportunities.
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This will be an upbeat shopping session that serves as a fundraising opportunity for Handmade Arcade. There will be special food and drink options for sale as well as special entertainment.
Saturday, December 6
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Makers must return to the Convention Center by 8:30 AM at the latest.
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This will be an upbeat, fast-paced shopping session that serves as a fundraising opportunity for Handmade Arcade. It will be filled with fans of Handmade Arcade who come ready to shop quickly before the rest of the crowds come in.
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This is the window for general shopping. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, and free tickets are available for those who need them. We stagger the shopper arrival times throughout the day in an effort to spread out the crowds and reduce parking and traffic around the Convention Center.
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Makers must keep their products up at their booths until 6:00 PM. Detailed load-out instructions will be provided closer to the market. This year, we will have an extra 30 minutes for finish load-out (we know many makers have been requesting this!).
Hotel Accommodations & Parking
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We have secured the following discounted hotel rates for makers from Thursday, December 4 - Saturday, December 6. Review the rates below and use the booking link to get the discounted rate. Please pay close attention to the booking cut-off date to ensure you can get the discounted rates. Some nights may book quickly, so we recommend booking early.
1) Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown
Rate: $99 per night
Location: 600 Commonwealth Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Distance from the Convention Center: 0.7 miles/16-minute walk (mostly flat terrain)
Booking Cut-Off Date: November 4, 2025
Rate: $189 per night
Location: 1000 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Distance from the Convention Center: 0.1 miles/5-minute walk (mostly flat)
Booking Link: Coming soon!
Booking Cut-Off Date: November 14, 2025
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Parking recommendations near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center:
Grant Street Transportation Center Rates & Info (two blocks/six-minute walk)
Smithfield & Liberty Garage Rates & Info (four blocks/eight-minute walk)
Convention Center Parking Garage Rates & Info (Space is limited at this garage, so we try to reserve these spaces for attendees. Please feel free to use this garage if you have accessibility needs.)
Use the ParkPGH website or app for real-time parking availability & info.
Booth Types & Sizes
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8 ft x 8 ft
For new and emerging makers
There is a lottery for limited Craft Corridor Corner Booths
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10 ft x 10 ft
There is a lottery for limited Standard Booth Corner Booths
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20 ft x 20 ft
Available to Standard Booth makers who opt in for the Expanded Booth Lottery
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10 ft x 10 ft
Includes one table and one chair
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10 ft x 10 ft
Includes one table and one chair
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10 ft x 10 ft
Includes one table and one chair
Important Links
Handmade Arcade Maker Handbook
Includes the following information:
Inventory Planning & Pricing
Booth Display Ideas
Market Tips & Tricks
List of Items to Bring (PDF Page 8)
Event Accessibility Information
Includes information about accessibility at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Load-In Times & Booth Map
Assigned load-in times & booth map will be shared in November.
Convention Center WIFI
There is no free internet at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
You can sign up for WIFI once you are in the DLCC halls by opening your web browser.
There will be daily WIFI rates (likely discounted) provided by the DLCC closer to the event.
Most makers use data plans on their phones for WIFI to take credit card sales.
Makers can also borrow free WIFI hotspots from local libraries.
Social Media Toolkit
This will be available and shared with makers in mid-September.
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