Local artisans, specialty foods and live performances by local musicians fill the Memorial Union Ballroom beginning Friday Dec. 4 for the 35th annual holiday market.

According to Susan Bourque, Craft Center manager and holiday marketplace coordinator, the event seeks to bring OSU and neighboring communities together for a fun and festive experience.

“We do it because it highlights community arts and crafts, and the Craft Center is all about that,” Bourque said.

Bourque has been coordinating the annual holiday marketplace for approximately 11 years. Over the course of her time working on the event, and even before then, she has been pleased with the growth and change that she has seen and hopes to continue with the legacy.

Kacy Kesecker, Craft Center marketing coordinator, is also excited to be working on the holiday marketplace.

“For me, it’s a nice break from dead week and finals,” Kesecker said.

Some of the artisans in the holiday market place have been part of the tradition for many years. The artisans in attendance this year hail from all around the Pacific Northwest–including some from OSU–and will be bringing products including pottery, cheese, soap, holiday cookies and small planters.

According to Bourque, she and her team try to keep students’ budgets in mind when selecting artisans as well.

“You know when you find the perfect gift for someone and you just get so excited, we want people to be able to do that here,” Kesecker said.

This year, one of the artisans in attendance this is a glass artist Marcia Shapiro. Before retirement, Shapiro’s career focused on geography and computing. Now, she spends time working with the Sierra Club and making glass artwork.

“There’s a kind of engineering aspect to this work and I enjoy that about as much as the art,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro first started working with glass approximately 12 years ago. After admiring some art in a friend’s home, she was encouraged to try glass work at the OSU craft center.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” Shapiro said. “It’s an outlet for creativity, you get to meet people with similar interests.”

Bourque and her team hope that those in attendance will be able to support local businesses, find a break from stressful studies and maybe even find inspiration to try their hand at some crafts as well.

“It’s a fun annual event and a lot of people look forward to it,” Bourque said. “It’s a community event. Just stop down and check it out.”