This weekend marks the annual Christmas Through Lowell event, and the weather has cooperated beautifully to provide a winter wonderland for shoppers who will be looking for perfect gifts and handmade treasures at 63 locations throughout the Lowell area.
The event runs from 9am-9pm Friday, 9am-7pm Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday on the weekend of November 16-18, 2018. Stops range from as far north as Scripted Expressions at 11460 Bowers Dr, north of 6 Mile, all the way south to SwissLane Dairy at 12877 84th St.
Before you head out the door today, keep reading for all the essential details to make the most of this annual event that is uniquely Lowell.
Maps are available online and at stops.
Many of the Christmas Through Lowell crafters are repeat participants and fan favorites. If you already know where you want to start, head there and pick up a tour guide and map of the other locations. Or if you’re new or don’t know where to start, head to the Christmas Through Lowell website to view the map and find a stop nearby.
Everything at crafter locations is handmade, antique or a re-found treasure.
You won’t find any Avon, LuLaRoe or Tupperware at the Christmas Through Lowell crafter stops. While we love supporting local men and women who are involved in direct businesses, Christmas Through Lowell isn’t the place for these products. Instead, everything that is sold at individual crafter locations is to be handmade, antique or a re-found treasure.
Some locations host multiple vendors.
If you’re short on time, you might want to stop by a location hosting multiple vendors.
For instance, there will be 35-40 vendors at the Lowell United Methodist Church on Main Street. Farther north, Red Barn Market on Alden Nash near Murray Lake will host 20-25 vendors offering everything from goat milk soap to fudge to horseshoe art. At LowellArts in the downtown, their holiday market features the work of 50 area artisans.
In addition to returning locations, there are some new multi-vendor stops this year including Bieri Auto Body at 132 S. Hudson and Manor Market Place at 725 Bowes Rd.
You can support non-profits while shopping.
The only thing better than finding the perfect gift is supporting a worthy cause at the same time. There are a couple of Christmas Through Lowell stops that let you do just that.
This year’s featured location is the Lowell Farm & Wildlife Center (#13) where all the money from the sale of wool rugs and a portion of the proceeds from other sales fund wildlife rehabilitation efforts.
Meanwhile, at SwissLane Dairy, where sweet treats, meat snacks, cheese and more will be sold, non-profits have been invited to decorate Christmas trees. Visitors will be able to vote on their favorite, and the non-profit with the winning tree will receive $500.
Downtown shops are participating too.
Beyond the dozens of the crafter locations scattered across the community, nearly 20 downtown shops are participating. These stores may be running specials or hosting guest artisans as part of the Christmas Through Lowell weekend.
Not all locations are open all three days.
While Christmas Through Lowell runs for three days, not all stops will be open for the entire weekend. Many are closed on Sunday while the Lowell United Methodist Church is only open on Saturday from 9am-3pm. On the official map, look for the stops in green for your Sunday shopping.
Food is available downtown or at some locations.
When it’s time for lunch or dinner, you’ll find plenty of places offering a spot to eat. You could head to downtown restaurants or find food at one of the event stops.
The Lowell Women’s Club will be serving up their famous homemade soups, sandwiches and pies at the Chamber of Commerce building on the Riverwalk from 11am-2pm on Friday and Saturday. Or on Saturday, you could head to the Lowell United Methodist Church for soup, sandwiches and dessert from 11am-1:30pm. If you get hungry outside the lunch hours, Red Barn Market will have food available all day.
Christmas Through Lowell only happens once a year so make the most of it. Mother Nature provided the snow, area crafters are providing the cheer and the rest is up to you.
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