Tackle your entire holiday gift list (and buy some awesome crafts for yourself) at 2018 Handmade Arcade, Pittsburgh’s largest shopping event, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Saturday, December 8 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free and it’s one of the best ways to shop local for your gifts. This year’s festival includes 239 vendors, 16 hands-on handmade activities and 12 youth makers.

Avoid crowds and buy an Early Birdie ticket for $20 to enter at 10 a.m.

The nonprofit event, which began in 2004, has a mission of connecting creators and shoppers through making, sharing and learning. And it’s growing—What started with 1,000 shoppers the first year is expected to attract more than 10,000 this year.

The craft show has tons of Mt. Lebanon connections. Mt. Lebanon artists include: The Artsmiths of Pittsburgh, Commonwealth Press, Shawna Colwes, Jennifer Anderson (I Would Dye For You), Kim Fox (Worker Bird), Dan Grguras (Baxter and the Bear), David Klug (Klugworld), Samantha Bower (LUSTER), Britta Thompson (Zenspire Designs), Sarah Daigneault (MetaMorph Jewelry) and Matt’s Makerspace. One of the youth scholarship winners this year is Mt. Lebanon AP art student and painter Hannah Jones. Early Birdie shoppers will get a limited edition black cotton tote designed by Kim Fox and printed by Commonwealth Press.

New this year is The Cutting Edge: A Fundraiser for Handmade Arcade, Friday, December 7 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. when you can shop early from featured vendors, meet makers, watch demonstrations, enjoy snacks and Threadbare cider, craft activities and make-and-takes, listen to music from Mt. Lebanon resident DJ Jeff Bower. Tickets are $30-$40. Ages 18+. Cash bar. Proceeds support Handmade Arcade’s free admission, the Hands-on Handmade Activity Center,  the Youth Maker Scholarship Program and the Craft Corridor for emerging artists.

Tickets to both the Early Birdie event and Cutting Edge party are limited. Combo tickets are available.

Mt. Lebanon Magazine is a proud sponsor of this year’s Handmade Arcade.