Second annual Piedmont Holiday Gift Market comes to Atlanta this weekend

Local art lovers and holiday shoppers alike are in for a particularly exciting Thanksgiving weekend this year. The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces will be presenting the second annual Piedmont Holiday Gift Market Saturday, Nov. 25, and Sunday, Nov. 26. Holiday shoppers and art lovers are invited to participate in the free event at Piedmont Park.

Those that want to simply soak up the holidays can enjoy a stroll through Piedmont Park while sipping on hot cocoa and listening to festive music. The main attraction, however, is the local art.

“Event goers are invited to sip on hot cocoa, listen to holiday music, and stroll through the park while exploring gift items from a variety of artists including painters, photographers, sculptors, glass blowers, leather and metalworkers, jewelers, and crafters,” a press release for the event reported.

Some local artists confirmed to attend the two-day event include Stephen Webber, Jim Pridmore, Jody DeWeese and Soloman Goldbas.

The event is free to attend and dogs are welcome. Directions to Piedmont Park can be found here.

Established in 2005, the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces was established to support the city’s local art community by raising funds through arts and craft festivals in the Metro Atlanta area.

“AFFPS was formed to create a way of integrating and encouraging both social interactions and the opportunity for individuals and businesses to obtain cross exposures in marketplaces that they may normally not have,” according to the organization’s website.

“Our festivals, events, and markets enjoy diverse social and economic participants. All events are professionally managed and maintained to create a ‘destination’ in which both public and private opportunities for economic growth can be explored. AFFPS works in partnership with the communities and cities in the metro Atlanta area to expand public access to art.”