Marty McGreevy and Bob Mangia hand-tie hundreds of beautiful flower bouquets a week. Their colorful creations and cheerful salutations greet Market shoppers upon entry to the Market.

We know that many of you have fun keeping tabs on the North Market through our website, blog, Facebook page and Twitter. But some of you appreciate the tactile distinction of printed pieces too.  With the help of some special friends, we’ve printed the North Market Holiday 2009 guide to celebrate the season and inform you of all the fresh, local goodness the North Market has to offer!

This edition includes holiday sentiments from David Wible, our Executive Director, plus gift guides, recipes, upcoming events, wine suggestions and a preview of the upcoming School of Cooking and Chef Series classes. Stop by your favorite merchant and pick one up!

Above any other time of the year, the holidays are most special. As we approach Thanksgiving and all the special days coming in December here are some important things to think about. 

Supporting local businesses and local economies has never been more important. When you buy, you vote with your dollars. When you buy at North Market you support the great local businesses and local families that own them.

Eat locally for all the right reasons, but eat locally because it tastes better. Locally grown and locally raised food is right for the season. It’s fresher, more nutritious, better for the environment, but importantly it’s food of the moment. Seasonal food and local food simply taste better than food that travels from half way around the globe.

Try Ohio wines and locally brewed beers. They’re darn good and might even taste better because you’re supporting a greater cause. Pair them with some Ohio cheeses for a delightful presentation.

Make the holiday table or occasion special with a local theme. A trip to the North Market enables you to prepare an event with a theme that’s never been more appropriate.

Everything about food today is local and everything about North Market supports the idea that supporting local businesses can make for the most special of holidays. Our food comes from farms not factories and our businesses are owned by our neighbors.

This holiday season give your community the biggest gift of all by supporting the 35 family owned and operated businesses here at North Market.

Happy Holidays,

David Wible
Executive Director

Thang and the crew at Lac Viet Market are always “busy, busy, busy” with the line that forms to experience their authentic and wondrously fresh Vietnamese cuisine. Stop in and join the regulars for a “pho fix.”

Get your holiday baking under way in style! The Ladies of the Market are once again sponsoring a night of cookies, appetizers, wine, and jazzy Christmas music to kick start your holiday season in a fun and meaningful way. Join us on Thursday, December 3 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the Dispatch Kitchen at the North Market for our Cookie Exchange.

For a nominal $50 donation, every participant will go home with a selection of three dozen cookies handmade by the Ladies of the North Market and some recipes to boot! Homemade cookies are a time-honored holiday tradition, but time is a precious commodity during the busy holiday season. So let the Ladies of the Market do some of your baking for you! You will be able to select 36 delicious, made-from-scratch cookies from the ovens of our North Market merchants. Every kind of cookie imaginable, from traditional cut-outs to cherished family recipes, will be represented at this event. Hosted by Robin Davis of The Columbus Dispatch and the Ladies of the Market, the evening will also include tasty local food bites, wine, coffee, and holiday music provided by Jazz Mary.

100% of the event proceeds go to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. For every dollar donated to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, they are able to distribute $8.00 worth of groceries to people in need. Each year, this worthy organization collects and distributes food to more than 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters as well as to after-school programs and senior citizen housing sites in central and eastern Ohio. It is no secret that this year is a particularly needy one in terms of the number of people within our community who will depend on the Mid-Ohio Food Bank to help feed their families. The Ladies of the Market Cookie Exchange is a fun way to help those families within our community.

Please join us for this fun evening supporting a great cause. Last year, this event raised $2,500 for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. This year, our goal is to increase our attendance from 50 to 60 participants. Space is limited, so call the North Market to reserve your space today - and bring a friend!

Call 463-9664 for reservations. Or buy tickets online here>

It’s that time of year for holiday entertaining, cookie baking, pie making, turkey basting, present shopping, gift-giving and celebrating all of the reasons for the season. The North Market Holiday Open House & Craft Extravaganza is the perfect place for both inspiration and acquisition of all of your holiday trimmings. We’ve decided to give you twice as much of a good thing this year and we have expanded the event to last both Saturday, December 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 6 from 12-5 p.m.

Our merchants will be armed with an array of samples to tempt your taste buds and help you formulate your holiday feasts. As always they are endowed with the wisdom of years of experience to give you excellent advice. The second floor will be devoted to forty-five local artisans and crafters for a weekend of shopping for distinctive handmade gifts. Jewelry, glass, textiles, bath and body products and knitted items are just a few of the categories represented by the local artists in our craft fair.

Scheduled Holiday Open House Activities include:

Saturday, December 5
• 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., North Market merchants and Craft Extravaganza vendors on second floor open for business
• 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Christmas tree sales on the farmers’ market plaza
• 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., holiday music by Willie Phoenix
• 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., holiday music by Suite Strings
• 1 - 3 p.m., Joyunspeakable, the living statue as the Nutcracker Toy Soldier
• 1 - 3 p.m., holiday music by Miss Molly
• 3 - 5 p.m., holiday music by the Eileen Howard Jazz Trio

Sunday, December 6
• 12-5 p.m., North Market merchants and Craft Extravaganza vendors on second floor open for business
• 12 -3 p.m., holiday music by Willie Phoenix
• 3-5 p.m., holiday music by Island Breeze

Participating vendors include:
Andy Glass ~ hand-blown glass ornaments
Baby Gee’s ~ blankets, burp cloths, hooded towels, bags and holiday ornaments
BC Appliqué ~ appliquéd towels, bibs, guardian angels
Black Market ~ hand knit scarves, jewelry
Bootleg ~ hand sewn silk-screened wristbands, silk-screened t-shirts, prints, totes
Kelly Burt ~ plush animals, painted bags, robot t-shirts
Carmacazzi ~ hand printed shirts for men and women
Claynimals ~ rolling clay animals
Corazon y Manos ~ jewelry boxes, crochet scarves
Crafty Beavers ~ knitted kitty hats, knit items, beaded jewelry, DIY lip balm kits
Creatrix Jane ~ handsewn clothing and accessories, handknit accessories
Kristin Ellis ~ original silver-smithed jewelry
Flying Wishes ~ my monster pillows, critter crayons, greeting cards
4 Healthy Paws ~ homemade healthy dog treats, bandannas, scrapbooks
Girl Pie ~ pressed fern ornaments, crocheted animals, headbands
Green Handle Designs ~ beaded and semi-precious stone jewelry
Hevvin Designs ~ vintage fabric clutches and messenger bags
Honeyrun Farm ~ artisan infused honey, handcrafted soap and beeswax candles
Jennifer Sadler Designs ~ jewelry made with resin, glass and stone beads
Brenda Jennings ~ hand-dyed and painted silk scarves, purses, art quilts
Jonathan Juravich ~ metal hand-punched ornaments, recycled key chains
Kim Gillie Krier ~ bags, art quilts, check book covers
Kitty Couture Designs ~ cookbook marks, jewelry and accessories
Magpie and Molly ~ hand cut sterling silver and copper necklaces and jewelry
MaraM ~ bags and accessories from recycled materials, paper gift tags, ornaments
Lynda McClanahan ~ art notecards, postcards, art prints, magnets
Meatless Art ~ original collages, prints, paintings
Mel’s Clay ~ polymer clay creations including pens, light switch covers, boxes
Moon Garden ~ handmade soaps, lotions, soy wax tarts, lip balm, shea butter
Morgan Art Works ~ wire sculpture, ornaments, kinetic mobiles
A Mother’s Work ~ stained glass stars and starbursts
Pieces of Eight ~ enamel copper jewelry and bowls, glass magnets, buttons
Prizepig ~ knitted scarves, hats, handbags, stockings
Poshta Stationery & Design ~ handcrafted paper goods
Clinton Reno ~ hand-screened posters, t-shirts, buttons, coasters
Revelry Press ~ mini chalkboards, coasters, cards, tshirts
Scrabble Chick ~ pendants from vintage Scrabble tiles, glass tiles
Smarty Pants Design ~handmade polymer clay beads, jewelry, buttons
Debbie Sterrett ~ beaded jewelry
Sweet Stella Designs ~ sweet polymer accessories
Sweetie Pie ~ vintage style retro aprons
Two Peas in a Pod ~ girls boutique clothing, totes, scarves, aprons
Umbrella Girl Productions ~ sewn stationery, greeting & gift cards, hair scarves
Wholly Craft! ~  items made by local artisans including scarves, coasters, plush
With Nature in Mind ~ soap, body butters, body powders, lip balm, bath cookies
Victorian Village Orchids ~ baked potato bags, table runners, purses
Vintage Vamp ~ artisan jewelry incorporating vintage parts
Vivisect Apparel ~ organic cotton screened tees, bags,  totes, grocery bags
Waterdance Art ~ Fusion glass vessels, sconces, fan pulls and lamp work beads

The North Market Holiday Open House and Craft Extravaganza will take place on Saturday, December 5 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 6 from 12 - 5 p.m. Admission is free. Artisan applications are closed.

Jeni Britton-Bauer has a way of turning ingredients from the most ordinary to the extraordinary into tongue-tantalizing taste combinations in her artisan ice creams. Her talent has won her accolades from multiple Food & Wine magazine mentions to a coveted Gallo Award.