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Craft Fairs in San Francisco: 6 Annual Events to Purchase Crafts & Gifts in SF
Written by: Jill Loeffler • Published: Nov 6, 2015 • Updated: Nov 24, 2024
Each year, you can explore several interesting craft fairs in San Francisco and the Bay Area. You will find a few in the summer months, but most of them are during the holidays, around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Many of these craft fairs last for three to four days and feature a selection of goods from jewelry to furniture. They're the perfect place to pick up a nice piece for yourself and a gift for a friend.
Some only feature local Bay Area artists. Others bring in unique artisans from around the world.
Most are free to enter, so you can spend all of your money buying great items all around the festival.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. Renegade Craft Fair
The Renegade Craft Fair comes to town three times a year. They have a spring event around April, a summer event usually in July or August, and a holiday event sometime in November.
This fair has wonderful pieces from more than 200 hand-selected artists. It's tough to be chosen to exhibit at this event, which means you will find some of the best handcrafted pieces on the market.
The artists here offer everything from clothing to jewelry to items for your home.
Location: Festival Pavilion in the Fort Mason Center
Date: April, July/August, and November
2. Head West Marketplace
The Head West Marketplace hosts several small, community-based craft fairs around the Bay Area throughout the year. You'll find two of their locations in San Francisco.
At the Ferry Building, the market takes place every first Sunday of the month. This fair has 50 booths that feature everything from jewelry and clothing to home decor and artisan culinary delights.
The Hayes Valley fair takes place about four times between March and October. This one is a little larger with over 100 booths set up at Patricia's Green. The sellers are all local and very friendly.
Location: The Ferry Building; Patricia's Green
Dates: Various throughout the year
Learn More: Visit their website to learn more and find this year's fair dates
3. Great Dickens Fair
The Great Dickens Fair will take you back in time to Victorian London. During this event, you can enjoy music, food, and a shopping area with plenty of crafts and gifts for the holiday season.
It starts in November and runs every weekend day until the weekend before Christmas. It's also open the day after Thanksgiving.
Location: Cow Palace
Date: November & December
4. Pleasanton Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival
This three-day fair is free for all ages. Here, you'll find dozens of vendors of high-quality materials for your quilting, sewing, needle-arts, and crafts projects.
The booths sell both domestic and foreign products, and offer some great deals. In addition to purchasing materials, you can also attend free classes to kickstart your new creative projects.
Pleasanton is located about 50 minutes east of San Francisco.
Location: Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton
Dates: September/October
5. Pacific International Quilt Festival
During this four-day quilt festival, you'll have lots of opportunities to admire work, show off your own work, and browse the variety of fabrics available for purchase at the show.
There are workshops and lectures for learning new techniques, as well as quilt and wearable art competitions.
Don't miss the special exhibits and your chance to mingle with other passionate quilters!
Santa Clara is located about 50 minutes south of San Francisco in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Location: Santa Clara Convention Center
Date: July
6. West Coast Craft Market
This is an example of some of the amazing pieces of handcrafted work you will see at the West Coast Craft Fair in San Francisco.The West Coast Craft Market is an event that features artists inspired by the mood and aesthetics of the West Coast lifestyle. It's free and open to the public.
More than 250 artists will showcase their work during this two-day event.
In addition to crafts for sale, they also offer workshops on both days. It's a great place to sharpen your art skills and learn how to make something new.
Location: Fort Mason Center
Date: May or June and November
Other Top Annual Events, Festivals, & Fairs
Maker Faire Bay Area
The Maker Faire is a little different from the other craft fairs listed above, but an equally awesome event that originated in the Bay Area. It consists of hands-on exhibits for people of all ages who love to make crafts, not just buy them.
They celebrate experimentation in science, art, and more. You'll find everything from upcycled crafts to robots to blown glass and metalworks. You get to see how it's all made and interact with the makers.
This fair started in San Mateo back in 2006 and has grown to be a worldwide movement. In 2023 it moved to a different venue, Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, which is 45 minutes northeast of SF.
This one is a ticketed event. It makes for a fantastic day trip, especially for families with curious little ones.
Around SF
Art Fairs: Discover a list of annual art fairs in SF. This list includes everything from high-end antique fairs to local artists' open studios events.
North Beach Festival: You will also find plenty of arts and crafts at this annual festival in North Beach. Along the streets of this lovely district, you will find unique pieces from dozens of local and national artists. The event is in June every year.
Union Street Festival: Another event that features arts and crafts is the Union Street Festival. Also held in June, this event invites artists from all around the US. Here you will find paintings, photography, jewelry, clothing, and more.
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