On Saturday, November 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Carmel-by-the-Sea holds four free holiday craft fairs within walking distance of one another. The center of the day is the city's 55th Homecrafters' Marketplace, which goes back far enough that the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea events calendar can list it by edition number with no other details.
What makes the marketplace worth an early start is an old rule. When the Carmel Pine Cone covered the 16th annual marketplace in November 1986, it reported that "the artisans cannot sell works available in Carmel stores." In a village known for its galleries and boutiques, the city set aside one Saturday for goods its own storefronts could not offer. Three more fairs now share that Saturday.
The rule that set the tone
The 1986 article gives a clear picture of how the marketplace was run then. A seven-member team picked which local craftspeople would fill the 65 spaces, and Joan Vandervort, one of the team, explained what they looked for:
"We're always looking for something new. We stress original designs and things that are not easy to make."
That year the stalls held garlic braids and wreaths, flowers pressed in beveled glass, woodcarvings, wooden reindeer and pottery. Community groups had tables too, among them the Monterey Peninsula Watercolor Society, the Central Coast Art Association, American Field Service, Hadassah and Church of the Wayfarer. The show ran 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sunset Center, with Sunday held in reserve in case of rain, and the City of Carmel sponsored it.
The city still runs the jury. In 2025 a city Selection Committee looked over crafts from both new and returning vendors at a late-August session, and no appointment was needed. The Carmel Residents Association's 2026 listing says every seller makes their own crafts or artwork, that a jury panel chooses them, and that they come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
Smaller than in 1986, held in the same spot
Vendor counts have moved up and down over the years:
- 1986: the Pine Cone wrote of creations "by nearly 200 local artisans," even though the selection team was filling 65 spaces.
- 2019: the city's notice put the 49th edition in the Sunset Center north parking lot, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with more than 70 vendors.
- 2025: Monterey County Now's Hot Picks counted more than 70 vendors at the 54th marketplace. Event listings that year said 100.
The location has held steady. In November 2023 the Monterey Herald put the 52nd marketplace at the Sunset Center North Lot, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Pine Cone's 2025 calendar placed it at San Carlos and Eighth. The Carmel Host Lions Club lists the Homecrafters' food booth among its club activities and sold savory treats there in 2025.
The date follows a pattern too. The marketplace falls on the Saturday before Thanksgiving week. In 2026 that is November 21, which leaves time to get gifts in the mail.
Four fairs on one Saturday
Homecrafters' no longer stands alone. In 2025 the Pine Cone listed the day as the "City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Craftapolooza!" with four stops: All Saints' Episcopal Church at Dolores and Ninth, the Carmel Woman's Club at San Carlos and Ninth, Church of the Wayfarer at Lincoln and Seventh, and the Homecrafters' Marketplace. A KAZU community calendar listing from 2022 named the same four, calling them the All Saints Fine Arts Crafts Fair, Church of the Wayfarer's Annual Holiday Faire and the Carmel Woman's Club Annual Artisan Event.
For 2026, Visit Carmel confirms four fairs on November 21, all free and open to the public. So far, only All Saints' has posted its own 2026 details. The city's Community Activities office takes questions at [email protected] or 831-620-2020.
All Saints' Craftapalooza 26
The church is holding its fair "rain or shine," with both returning and new artisans. Sameera Sharif is back after a year away, serving Indian lunches made from scratch. The church makes some of the goods itself. Members bake desserts and pastries and sell the Portly Padre Cookbook. The church's own craft tables carry wreaths, greenery bouquets, gift bags, decoupaged prayer boxes and crosses, embroidered or printed bags, and bookmarks.
All Saints' is marking its 75th anniversary with "Art in our Sacred Space" tours, which meet in the sanctuary on Dolores. Details are on the All Saints' Craftapalooza 26 page.
Carmel Woman's Club Annual Artisan Event
The club hasn't posted 2026 details yet. In 2025 its fair at San Carlos and Ninth offered unique crafts, succulent pumpkins, vintage Christmas decor and the Big Sur Taco Truck, all from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Church of the Wayfarer
Wayfarer was part of the 1986 marketplace, back when community groups had their own tables. It was listed with its own holiday fair at Lincoln and Seventh in both 2022 and 2025. Check with the church before planning on it this year.
A walking order for the morning
All four stops fall between Seventh and Ninth avenues and between Lincoln and San Carlos streets, so the whole day fits in a few blocks. One way to walk it:
- Church of the Wayfarer, Lincoln and Seventh. Start at the north end at 9 a.m. if the church confirms its fair.
- All Saints' Episcopal Church, Dolores and Ninth. Arrive mid-morning while the baked goods are still out, and take an "Art in our Sacred Space" tour in the sanctuary on Dolores.
- Carmel Woman's Club, San Carlos and Ninth. It's around the corner from All Saints'.
- Homecrafters' Marketplace, Sunset Center North Lot, San Carlos and Eighth. This is the biggest of the four, and a good place to finish with lunch from the Lions' food booth if they return this year.
For lunch, the other option is Sameera Sharif's Indian lunches at All Saints'. Every fair closes at 3 p.m.
The rest of the city calendar
This year the craft fairs come between two other city dates. The Annual Veterans Day Ceremony is Wednesday, November 11. The Annual Holiday Celebration follows on Friday, December 4. The city notes that event dates can change, so check the events page before you go.
The city opened the season with its 110th Birthday Bash on October 31 in Devendorf Park. The program announced in advance included the Hovering Breadcat Band, sponsored by Sunset Center, plus free hot dogs and face painting.
If you're getting a Carmel home ready for Thanksgiving guests, or want someone to look after it while you're away for the holidays, the Coast Estate team at Carmel Coast Realty can prepare it before you arrive and handle it after you leave. Schedule a local consultation.
