This year, the Tranzac Club is hosting their annual Holiday Gift Fair from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 292 Brunswick Avenue every weekend between Dec. 3 and Dec. 18. Every Sunday and Saturday leading up to Christmas Eve, the Tranzac fair will feature original gifts crafted by local artists and artisans. At this month-long market, there will be something for everyone.

Although the fair has been running since 2017 under its current name, this event is a long-standing tradition. Sarah Greene, who books events at the Tranzac and occasionally bartends at the club, says the Tranzac Holiday Gift Fair was known as the Artisans’ Gift Fair for about ten years. Prior to the Artisan’s Gift Fair, there was an annual craft fair dating back to the 90s. So, depending on how you look at it, this holiday market has been around for a long time. 

Expect to see hand-knit clothing, children’s toys, bath and body care products, jewelry, ornaments, greeting cards, upcycled clothing, accessories, candles, and much more. The variety of items will change every day. Some of this year’s novel vendors include a tarot reader on Dec. 3, the Odyssey Box Studio on the weekend of Dec. 3, and Lyre Gallery on the weekend of Dec. 7. Sheileen’s Sweet Salutations and Grandma Betty’s Baking will sell delicious sweets while the Tranzac Club will have sandwiches, soup, tea, coffee, and beer for sale. Tranzac board members and volunteers will be running a Tranzac Vintage Flea & White Elephant Table each Saturday. “We’re also going to be joined by a vintage pop-up on Sunday, Dec. 4 in the Living Room,” said Greene. 

This fair is cherished by many community members. “We get, on average, 400 or so visitors a day,” said Greene. Tranzac neighbours are excited to see their local holiday market return in full swing this year since the 2020 fair was cancelled and the 2021 fair operated on a smaller scale. There is no room for disappointment at this year’s long-awaited holiday fair. As Greene says, it’s “a really sweet holiday tradition that people look forward to.”

—Hailey Alexander/Gleaner News