photo by: Contributed/Emily Henry Photography

Evergreen holiday decorations on display at the Holiday Farmers Market. The market is a chance for vendors like Karen Pendleton an opportunity to showcase their creativity and is a way the community can support vendors during their slow season.

Since the 1980s, Lawrence residents have been able to celebrate the holidays and support local farmers with the Holiday Farmers Market, and this year’s tradition will be the biggest yet.

This year’s edition, which comes Saturday, Dec. 13, includes over 50 vendors, which Emily Lysen, the Lawrence Farmers Market’s director of development, said is one of the biggest holiday farmers markets ever.

The event will be at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 1930 Harper St., and was recently moved inside to the Indoor Community Arena due to the frigid weather in the forecast — organizers said the arena, often used by horses, is free of animal smells. Lysen said the holiday market was first moved to the fairgrounds in 2021 and was so popular that the market kept it at that location.

While the market will have the usual staples of produce and food, Lysen said that this is an opportunity for the vendors to “show their craftier side.” During the normal season from April to November, Lysen said vendors can’t sell crafts or art unless they are made from ingredients they harvest or grew themselves due to the market’s regulations. This market is an opportunity for the community to support local farmers to purchase crafts or other food items like baked goods or specialty candies that patrons “might not get throughout the year.”

photo by: Contributed/Emily Henry Photography

A vendor selling succulent plans with festive headwear during last year’s Holiday Farmers Market.

photo by: Contributed/Emily Henry Photography

Singers with santa hats performing during last year’s Holiday Farmers Market. Along with over 50 vendors, there will be live music, a visit from Santa, a gift wrapping station and more.

Karen Pendleton, who is a vendor with the market through Pendleton’s Country Market, said that during the regular season, they bring in produce and fresh cut flowers to the Saturday markets. At the holiday market, they still have produce like lettuce, sweet potatoes and squash, but Pendleton said they bring holiday decorations crafted at their farm. Pendleton said some of the most popular items are evergreen wreaths, Christmas ornaments made out of dried gourds and “fairy house kits” — which have a “house”carved out of a dried gourd and packed with moss or stones that can serve as decorations and furniture. She said those are a very popular gift that parents or grandparents can make with their younger family members.

Lysen said along with this being a fun way to find cool crafts and potential gifts during the holiday season, it also has the benefit of directly helping local farmers during their slow time. Pendleton said many small farmers make most of their money through selling at farmers markets, and so this type of holiday market is “very important” to make sure they have enough income.

“There are years when the money we make on the holiday market is the difference between a good year and a not so good year,” Pendleton said.

Pendleton said that the community has been “wonderful” to vendors like her over the years in getting to know them during the season, and they seem to make a special effort to come and support local vendors. She noted that many of the vendors get “creative” around this time of year, with everything from her fairy house kits to another farmer who creates their own kitchen gadgets through woodturning.

“You can find things here that you can’t find anywhere else,” Pendleton said.

Along with the vendors — many of whom have expanded stalls, according to Lysen — the event will feature a gift wrapping station and entertainment throughout the day. She also noted that the farmers market will have its own booth that will showcase site designs and update for the market’s search for a permanent location. The market will be one of the last events to give face-to-face public feedback, and Lysen said she still hopes to bring a final recommendation for a permanent location by the end of the year.

With the mix of all the produce you would expect at a farmers market and the special holiday goodies, Lysen said it makes this Lawrence tradition compared to similar holiday markets.

“That’s something that makes us stand out: you can still shop for groceries and stock up for the winter as well as shop for gifts,” Lysen said.

The Holiday Farmers Market will go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13. Lysen said because 19th Street is closed from Haskell Street to Harper Street, people interested in attending will need to approach the fairgrounds’ entrance at Harper Street from either 15th Street or 23rd Street. More information about the event can be found on the market’s website.

photo by: Contributed/Emily Henry Photography

Vendors selling produce from last year’s Holiday Farmers Market. Emily Lysen, the director of development for the Lawrence Farmers Market, said this year’s holiday market will have over 50 vendors, making it one of the biggest ever.

photo by: Contributed/Emily Henry Photography

A customer buying from one of the Holiday Farmers Market vendors last year. Karen Pendleton, a vendor with the Lawrence Farmers Market, said the event is “very important” to owners of small farmers who rely on farmers markets for their incomes.