2014 Guide to Crafty/Indie/Vintage Holiday Shopping Events in Pittsburgh

Saturday 11/22 – Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer

  • Time: 9am-3pm
  • Location:Teamsters Local 249, 4701 Butler Street in Lawrenceville
  • Details: Vintage Vendor Fair
  • Admission: $5 at the Door
  • Facebook Event | Follow @PghVintageMixer

pittsburgh-vintage

Friday 11/28 & Saturday 11/29 – I Made It Holiday Market @ Heinz 57 Center

  • Time: Friday 2pm-8pm, Saturday 11am-5pm
  • Location: Heinz 57 Center, 623 Smithfield Street
  • Details: 80+ Artisans, Food Truck, Free Parking
  • Link | Facebook Event | Follow: @IMadeItMarket

i-made-it-holiday-postcard-14

Thursday 12/4 – 21+ Party at TechShop

  • Time: 7pm-10pm
  • Location: TechShop Pittsburgh, 192 Bakery Square Blvd.
  • Details: TechShop hosts a holiday party with demos, workshops and a holiday market featuring local vendors
  • Tickets are $15 (Free for TechShop members)

partyattechshop

Friday 12/5 & Saturday 12/6 – PULSE Alternative Holiday Gift Market

I did a lot of holiday shopping at this event last year.  PULSE – Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience is a great organization that has been bringing college graduates to Pittsburgh and inspiring change in several neighborhoods.  This market features handmade items by the PULSE fellows and supporters.

If you go on Friday, take some time to visit the other businesses that will be open for First Fridays on Penn Ave.

PULSE-alternative-holiday-gift-market

Saturday 12/6 – Handmade Arcarde

  • Time: 11am-7pm
  • Location: David Lawrence Convention Center
  • 11th annual event featuring over 150 crafters/artisans from Pittsburgh and around the country
  • Website | Facebook Event | Follow @Handmade Arcade

handmade-arcade-2014

Sunday 12/7 – Holiday Book Sale from Pittsburgh’s Indie Booksellers

  • Time: 12-5pm
  • Location: Stephen Foster Community Center, 286 Main Street
  • Vendors: Copacetic Comics, The Big Idea Bookstore, Inc, East End Book Exchange, Amazing Books, Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Autumn House Pres, Braddock Avenue Books, Six Gallery Press, Lilliput Review, Small Press Pittsburgh
  • Facebook Event | Follow @BookstoreMemoir

 

holiday-book-sale

Saturday 12/13 – Last Minute Gifts by Close Creations at Tazza D’Oro

  • Time: 8am-7pm
  • Location: Tassa D’Oro Coffee Shop, 1125 N. Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
  • Follow @tazzadoro

tazza-close-creation

Saturday 12/13 – I Made It Holiday Market at Boyd Community Center

  • Time: 10am-3pm
  • Location: Boyd Community Center, 1220 Powers Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
  • Details: TechShop hosts a holiday party with demos, workshops and a holiday market featuring local vendors
  • Link | Follow @IMadeITMarket

boyd-comm-center-flyer

Saturday 12/13 – Holiday Festivus at the Pittsburgh Public Market

https://www.facebook.com/events/756100014438874/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Thursday 12/18 – MANta Claus Last-Minute Shopping in Lawrenceville

  • Time: 5-9pm
  • Location: Businesses along Butler Street in Lawrenceville
  • Details: A last-minute holiday shopping extravaganza for men (and let’s face it, anyone) who waits until the last minute to buy gifts for the holidays. Plus enjoy free beer, snacks, and special discounts!
  • Facebook Event | #Mantaclaus

manta-claus-pittsburgh-shopping-for-men

Jerry's Records

Vinyl in Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh Profiles Visits Jerry’s Records and Galaxie Electronics

A link to this new video series was shared on the Pittsburgh reddit page over the weekend.  This short, 7 minute video, offers a look at Jerry’s Records and Galaxie Electronics – both are located at 2136 Murray Avenue in Sq. Hill.  The video series doesn’t have a website yet but you can keep an eye on The Cut website for updates.

Pittsburgh Profiles // Vinyl in Pittsburgh from Jordan Sucher on Vimeo.

Startup Weekend Pittsburgh

Who Should Attend Startup Weekend Pittsburgh?

Startup Weekend Pittsburgh

The next Startup Weekend Pittsburgh, aka Startup Weekend Pittsburgh 6,  starts this Friday, November 21, 2014.  Startup Weekend is a weekend long event where folks will come together to build a business in 2 days and it isn’t just for entrepreneurs.

This is one of my MOST favorite events in Pittsburgh.  I have attended twice and it has been an incredible way to work on some business ideas and make new friends.  Startup Weekend Pittsburgh isn’t just for entrepreneurs.  Here are some other reasons to sign up to spend this weekend at Startup Weekend.

Who should attend Startup Weekend Pittsburgh?

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs who want test out a business idea.
  • An entrepreneur who is looking for a cofounder.
  • If you are new to Pittsburgh, Startup Weekend is a great way meet other Pittsburghers.
  • Anyone who is serious about networking – it is one thing to go to a happy hour and hand out business cards, but Startup Weekend gives you a chance to get to know the people on your team, and other teams.  You will make new friends.
  • Job seekers – if you are looking for a job, attending Startup Weekend is a great way to show employers what you are made of.  I know of a few local companies who attend Startup Weekend as a way to find new talent.

Have you attended Startup Weekend before?  Why would you recommend attending?

Win A Ticket to Startup Weekend Pittsburgh

Tickets for Startup Weekend are $99 and can be purchased online here. If you are feeling a little sticker shock from the $99 price tag – you can enter to win a ticket to attend.  C-leveled is one of the sponsors of Startup Weekend Pittsburgh and they are giving away two tickets to attend.  If you like to enter to win a ticket to Startup Weekend 6, sign up for the C-leveled newsletter and/or post a tweet about the giveaway and you will be entered to win – click here for entry details.

Tweet All About It

Keep tabs on Startup Weekend 6 by following #SWPGH6 (also I usually use the #startupgh hashtag when I tweet information about Pittsburgh startups).

A Good Reason to Clean Out Your Closet Before Christmas

For the past few years, I have been part of a group of Pittsburgh bloggers who have helped the Pittsburgh nonprofit Community Human Services aka CHS raise money for their holiday gift project.  One of the things that I have learned about CHS is that they provide many important services to Pittsburghers who don’t fit into other social service programs.  The same holds true for the holiday gifts.  The money raised from the CHS Holiday Gift Project goes to CHS to provide a little holiday gift to the people who likely don’t fit into other holiday gift programs which are usually for kids or seniors.

chsthread2

This year, we’re getting a little bit of a head start with a new idea for fundraising with ThredUp.  ThredUp is an online store that sells new and used women and kids clothing.  ThredUp will buy your extra clothes, as long as they are in good condition, and will donate the money to CHS.  I have sent several ThredUp cleanout bags back to ThredUp over the past year, and I have ordered from the ThredUp shop many times.  So I thought it was time to try the ThredUp fundraising program.

If you have some extra clothes that you were thinking of donating, please order a free ThredUp clean out bag and donate to the CHS holiday gift project.  Order your free clean out bag today.  The whole process takes a few week – so the sooner you order a free cleanout bag, the sooner we can raise some $$$ for CHS.   (Any funds that come in after the holidays will also go to CHS).

How to Clean Out Your Closet and Support the CHS Holiday Gift Project

Photo of a ThredUp clean out bag from Broke and Beautiful's blog

Photo of a ThredUp clean out bag from Broke and Beautiful’s blog

  1. Visit the CHS Holiday Gift Project Group on ThredUp HERE.
  2. Enter your email address, name and password and click “Join This Group”
  3. Click the yellow “Order a Bag Button” – for the items that ThredUp doesn’t want – you can choose to have them donated to Goodwill or sent back to you for a small fee.
  4. Wait a few days… ThredUp will mail you a bag with a prepaid shipping label attached
  5. Clean out your closet and fill up the bag
  6. Send your your bag back to ThredUp – postage is already paid on the label
  7. ThredUp will make an offer for the items that they want and donate that amount to CHS

More Ways to Shop and Support CHS

If you are interested in other websites w online shopping on ThredUp or a similar site Twice.  Use the following links, for each person who signs up – I get a $10 credit.  I will be donating all of the referral credits from both ThredUp and Twice to CHS.

CHS Holiday Gift Project By The Numbers

  • Total Amount we need to raise in 2014 – $5000
  • Amount I hope we can raise from ThredUp – $1000
  • Number of Pittsburghers who I hope will send a bag to ThredUp – 50
  • Date of CHS Holiday Gift Project Party at Houghs – Thursday, December 11 (more details to come)

I will be blogging and Tweeting updates about the project between now and whenever we finish raising the $5000 – please help me spread the word by tweeting with #CHxmaS.

 

 

shot and a beer dinner at Independent Brewing

Go to this: Whiskey Loves Beer Dinner on November 20

Hopefully this event wont be sold out by the time you read this blog post.  The cool kids who run the Independent are teaming up with the folks at Wigle Whiskey for a four course dinner that will redefine the shot and  beer.  The food at the Independent Brewing Company is awesome and at $65/person this is a steal for what promises to be a delightful evening.  Tickets are available here.

shot and a beer dinner at Independent Brewing