It’s tiiiiiime! Holiday lights (thank you, Blingle!) have begun to line main streets, barns are transforming into markets, and it’s almost time to turn to WHOM to hear all the holiday classics (they’ll be kicking off Christmas music on Nov. 21!).
For those of us who call the Pine Tree State home, and for anyone looking to put down roots here, this season is much more than shopping. It’s about community!
Below you’ll find a guide to the best holiday markets and maker fairs in Landing Real Estate’s core areas, a few local businesses to support, and some ways to give back. Together, these experiences show why home means so much in Maine during the holiday season.
**Note: While we do our best to keep event information current, times, dates, and details may shift as the season unfolds. Be sure to check with each organizer or venue before heading out, and enjoy supporting local makers wherever you wander!
Maine’s Holiday Markets & Local Maker Events
USM Fall Craft Show
Gorham, Maine
November 15-16, 2025
https://sites.google.com/maine.edu/usm-craft-show-2023/home
Over 150 makers fill the University of Southern Maine field house in Gorham during the USM Fall Craft Show. This long-running fair supports USM student athletes and offers free admission (with a small parking fee). Guests can browse a wide range of items, from jewelry and woodworking to handmade quilts and pottery. It’s a great way to start your holiday shopping while exploring Gorham, a vibrant college town about 20 minutes from Portland.
Makers Market at the Point
Portland, Maine
November 16, 2025
https://www.thompsonspoint.com/makersmarket
If you love discovering new artisans in an urban-industrial setting, head to Brick South at Thompson’s Point. On November 16, 2025, the Makers Market transforms the warehouse into an ode to Maine creativity. This event celebrates local artisans and farmers, encourages camaraderie with mimosas, and offers free entry. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is the perfect excuse to spend a Sunday in Portland’s growing waterfront district.
Designing Women
Freeport, Maine
November 22, 2025
https://www.designingwomen.org/freeport
Freeport’s Maine Coast Waldorf School hosts Designing Women, an artisan market focused on wearable art and fiber arts, as well as glass, pottery, wood items, and more! The market runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2025, and spotlights Maine artists who create jewelry, textiles, pottery, and more. A suggested $2 donation at the door benefits the nonprofit that organizes the show, which is a nice way to support Maine’s makers and community programs simultaneously.
Holiday Makers Market at Mast Landing (Brewery)
Westbrook, Maine
November 23, 2025
https://www.facebook.com/share/1ApjUE5xEZ/
For craft shopping with a side of beer, Mast Landing Brewing Company in Westbrook hosts a Holiday Makers Market. From noon to 4 p.m., guests can enjoy local brews while browsing handmade creations from over 10 makers. The event is free and emphasizes community support. Westbrook is just a 10-minute drive from Portland, making this market an easy stop during your weekend errands.
Home for the Holidays Craft Show
Scarborough, Maine
November 28-29, 2025
https://societyofsouthernmainecraftsmen.org/shows.html
The Society of Southern Maine Craftsmen brings its annual Home for the Holidays Craft Show to Scarborough High School the weekend after Thanksgiving. Running from Friday, Nov. 28 to Sat. Nov. 29, 2025, the show features juried Maine craftsmen committed to quality and originality. Meeting the makers and hearing the stories behind their work is as much a draw as the gifts themselves. Admission is free, and proceeds support the artisans’ nonprofit.
Bonny Eagle Craft Fair
Standish, Maine
November 28-29, 2025
https://www.oldredchurch.org/holiday-craft-fair
Also, Thanksgiving weekend, the Bonny Eagle Craft Fair at Bonny Eagle High School in Standish is celebrating its 53rd year. Crafters from across New England offer a diverse range of handmade items, including jewelry, ceramics, paintings, ornaments, specialty foods, and more. Proceeds support the Old Red Church’s maintenance and scholarships for Bonny Eagle seniors.
Shop Small, Support Local this Holiday Season in Maine
Maine’s maker community and small businesses give each of our towns its character. These businesses, and many more, remind us that holiday shopping can strengthen our communities. Consider swapping big-box impulse buys for goods made by local artisans and small businesses. Here are a few shops to consider when you’re stuffing stockings or treating yourself:
- Catalyst for Change, Biddeford, Maine – a clothing brand where each sale benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Maine chapter and the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Shopping here means supporting style and local causes.
- Shop: https://www.cfcwear.com/
- Reclaimed Maine Co., Windham, Maine – a one-woman shop creating handcrafted home goods and apparel inspired by Maine’s lakes, pines, and coastlines. Each item is designed to encourage exploration and uses eco-conscious materials, with proceeds supporting local environmental nonprofits.
- GooeyGump Designs, Portland, Maine – This family-owned boutique on Forest Ave. features hand-painted furniture, home decor, and whimsical DIY supplies across two floors. The shop’s humor and charm make it the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind gifts and Maine-made treasures.
Ways to Give Back
The holiday season in Maine is also about taking care of our neighbors. Here are some local giving opportunities:
Coats for Seniors (https://maineseniorguide.com/coats-for-seniors-warm-up-older-mainers/) is a statewide initiative collecting gently used adult winter coats for older Mainers. For each coat donated, Goodwill provides a voucher to Area Agencies on Aging, allowing seniors to select their own coat. L.L. Bean adds $5 per coat to support fuel assistance programs, and coats can be dropped off at the L.L. Bean Flagship store in Freeport between Nov. 21-23. It’s a simple way to clean your closet and make a difference.
The Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) runs a Holiday Gift Giving Program (https://affm.net/affm-holiday-gift-giving-program-support-maine-families-in-need/) to make the season bright for children in foster and kinship care. Ways to help include sponsoring a child, hosting a toy or teen gift-card drive, or making bags for gifts. In 2025, there will be special drop-off events on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2, in Brewer and Saco. Your contributions help make sure that every child receives a thoughtful gift this holiday season.
Created by Landing Real Estate, Hops for Heat (https://landinghomesmaine.com/hops-for-heat-charity-golf-tournament/) is a summer charity golf tournament benefiting the KeepMEWarm program through the United Way of Greater Portland. The 2025 event, held on August 18 at Nonesuch River Golf Club, brought together community members and sponsors to raise funds for emergency heating assistance. Although it takes place in August, its impact is felt in winter: last year’s efforts raised thousands to help Maine families stay warm.
From Gorham’s bustling USM craft show to Westbrook’s beer-and-shopping mashup, Maine’s holiday markets showcase the creativity and artistry that thrives in our state. Shopping small at places like Catalyst for a Change or GooeyGump keeps money in the community and supports local businesses. And through programs like Coats for Seniors and AFFM’s gift drives, we can be sure that every neighbor feels the warmth of the season. At Landing Real Estate, we believe home is defined by both the house you live in and the community you’re a part of. So this season, get out there: explore a market, support a maker, and lend a hand! When you’re ready to find a new place to call home, start your search with Landing Real Estate and let us guide you home.
**Note: While we do our best to keep event information current, times, dates, and details may shift as the season unfolds. Be sure to check with each organizer or venue before heading out, and enjoy supporting local makers wherever you wander!
Ready to make the move? Contact Landing Real Estate today and let us guide you home!