Earth-friendly holiday gifts can be found at Alton’s annual Green Gift Bazaar on Nov. 25
(Photo courtesy Alton Main Street)
Celebrate this year’s Small Business Saturday on November 25 by finding locally-made, environmentally-friendly gifts for your friends and family in Downtown Alton.
Alton Main Street is teaming up with the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project to present the 21st annual Green Gift Bazaar to continue the tradition of “going green” for the holidays.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, featuring 45 eco-artisans and green vendors at two locations: Post Commons, located at 300 Alby St., and Jacoby Arts Center, located at 627 E. Broadway in Alton.
The full menu at Post Commons will be available, and at Jacoby Arts Center Big Boys Q will serve a lunch menu.
There is no entry fee to shop, and attendees of the Green Gift Bazaar will be provided with a brochure full of Small Business Saturday information, featuring refreshments, giveaways, discounts, free gifts with purchase, gift card specials, in-store activities, etc. from many downtown retailers and restaurants.
A sampling of the Earth-friendly one-of-a-kind gifts that will be offered at the event is as follows – all handcrafted, recycled, made in the USA or Fair Trade:
Homegrown botanicals and herbal products, hand-made soap and other bath and body products, beeswax and soy candles, teas, hand sewn, knit and crocheted fabric products such as mittens made from sweaters, hats and bags made from upcycled denim, artisan leatherwork, tie dye, tapestries, quilts, reusable bags, pot scrubbies, washcloths, market totes, tea towels, baby bibs, gift bags, upcycled jewelry including recycled silverware, fused glass, bead work, semi-precious stones and items made from foraged materials, pottery and ceramics such as mugs, dishes, bottles and bowls featuring images of native plants and animals, original artwork including local photography, paintings, greeting cards, ornaments and upcycled holiday décor, locally harvested evergreen holiday decor for doors and mantles, a curated selection of thrifted clothing and other finds, gifts for dogs and cats, soy wax candles & non-toxic room sprays, wooden items such as carvings, driftwood crafts, 3D scroll saw art and household items made from pallets, seeds, house plants, hand-sewn stuffed animals, non-toxic play dough, ethically-sourced insect taxidermy, framed nature items, therapeutic aromatherapy pillows, stained glass wind chimes and suncatchers, homemade fruit-chutneys that are vegan, gluten-free, and have no artificial preservatives or additives, art items made from recycled wine corks, rocks and minerals and much more.
At the event, shoppers will be able to keep their spending power “home for the holidays.” Shoppers can avoid the hassle of Black Friday and the impersonal customer service of Cyber Monday by instead making this season’s gift-giving a fun adventure, shopping with friendly local artists and independent businesses in Alton’s historic downtown district.
For more information on this event and the many other ways that Alton Main Street is working to promote and improve the district, visit the “Events” page at www.DowntownAlton.com.
