Give Local: Guide to Holiday Art Fairs

Those of us who have been naughty all year might well prosper in this economy; we'll be lucky if Santa brings us coal (seriously, did you know that you could heat your house with this stuff?!). For the rest of you, who have no doubt been nicer, crafty elves all over town are coming together to hock their wares at various holiday art fairs. Shopping for local, handmade gifts cuts out a lot of the holiday hassle and is a great way to insure that you are giving unique presents. After hitting up a few of these sales year after year, our biggest shopping challenge is always resisting the urge to spend our gift budgets on ourselves.

The Blue Genie Art Bazaar is now open at the Monarch Event Center. This bazaar is in its 8th year and is open from now through Christmas eve with free admission. Blue Genie has brought together over 100 artists who will be showing and selling their work. The ingenious event organizers know that we procrastinate so the Blue Genie Art Bazaar is open late for everyone's shopping convenience. They also seem to know that we like to be refreshed while we shop, as they are again featuring a full bar. Check out the full list of participating artists before making your traditional holiday pilgrimage to the Bazaar.

The folks over at the Austin Art Garage are adding a little rock and roll to the holidays with their 12x12 Holiday Art Rock Show. The event takes place on December 12th from 7-10pm at the Austin Art Garage (2200 South Lamar, behind Strut). The gallery has rounded up 70 original 12 inch by 12 inch paintings by local artists and will be selling these as well as gifts and accessories from nearby Moxie and the Compound. Crash Gallery, Magnet School, Taunto, and Built by Snow will all play the event. Complimentary food and drinks will be provided by Sweet Leaf, Tito's, and Austin's Pizza.

The Keep Austin Bizarre Bazaar opens on December 12th at the Palmer Events Center. This shopping event will feature over 100 local artists and small businesses and runs from 11am-11pm every day through December 23rd. In keeping with their bizarre mission, this holiday sale will feature tribal, improvisational, and yogic dance, circus acts, Capoeira performances, and various musical acts. Food, drink, and a full bar will be available, and some of the proceeds of the event are being donated to the Africa Bound Corporation. The Bizarre Bazaar has a $5 admission charge, but thrifty elves, take note, this fair is free on Mondays.

The area's longest running holiday sale, the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar is returning to the Convention Center for its 33rd run. The "honky-tonk bar shopping experience" will be enhanced by many musical performances, a bar, food, and over 130 local artisans. The Amadillo Bazaar opens on Friday, December 12th and runs through Christmas eve. The sale is open daily from 11am-11pm; admission is $6 on evenings and weekends,$3 on weekdays before 7pm, and children 12 and under are free.