Are you thinking about Christmas yet? Of course you are; the weather’s been below 95 degrees for almost two whole days now, Walmart’s decorated like the goddamn North Pole and Target has long run out of Halloween merch.
But forget about Walmart and Target, because if you want to do some local good this holiday season, you’ll hit up any number of Small Business Saturdays and local markets. And while those Saturday markets will be everywhere, don’t forget this Thursday-night market at Sunken Gardens and Great Explorations Children’s Museum, because it’s showcasing local makers and businesses. Not only that, but A Very Merry Market happens indoors, which means cool air conditioning (because who are we kidding, we’re living the apparently never-ending summer and this “cooler” weather won’t last). There are also free treats and drinks (but because it’s a holiday market, let’s call them “spirits”) and free valet parking.
Bonus: If you visit each shopping area, you can enter a drawing to win a basket of goodies from the makers and businesses there.
5th Annual A Very Merry Market | Sunken Gardens and Great Explorations Children’s Museum, 1825 4th St. N., St. Petersburg | Nov. 29: 4-8 p.m.
This article appears in Oct 18-25, 2018.
