Craft Shows & Country Fairs in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has one of the deepest craft fair traditions in the United States.

From the oldest continuously operating agricultural fair in the country — the Three County Fair in Northampton, running since 1818 — to nationally recognized juried shows like Paradise City Arts Festivals and CraftBoston, the state offers a full calendar of events for buyers, collectors, and craft enthusiasts.

New England's craft heritage runs deep here, and it shows in the quality and variety of events across every region.

What to Expect at Massachusetts Craft Shows

The Massachusetts craft show scene ranges from small community bazaars in rural towns to nationally juried exhibitions drawing 200+ artists from across the country.

The Pioneer Valley, the Berkshires, the North Shore, and Greater Boston each have distinct craft cultures — which means events across the state feel genuinely local rather than interchangeable.

• Paradise City Arts Festivals (Northampton) — two annual shows, 200+ artisans each
• CraftBoston (Society of Arts + Crafts) — spring and holiday editions in Boston
• Fruitlands Craft Festival (Harvard, MA) — 56 juried New England artisans, September
• Berkshires Arts Festival (Great Barrington) — 175 jury-selected artists, nationally recognized

• SoWa Open Market (Boston) — every Sunday, May through mid-November; 175+ makers; free
• Harvard Square Open Market (Cambridge) — Sundays, June through October; free

• CraftBoston Holiday
• Salem Holiday Market
• Indigenous Arts Bazaar at the Cyclorama (Boston Center for the Arts)

Country Fairs & County Fairs in Massachusetts

Massachusetts agricultural fairs are not a footnote to craft history — they are its foundation.

The Three County Fair in Northampton has run since 1818, organized by the Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Agricultural Society. Held each Labor Day Weekend at the Three County Fairgrounds, it combines livestock competitions, 4-H exhibitions, a demolition derby, and agricultural exhibits with food vendors and entertainment. It is the oldest continuously operating agricultural fair in the United States.

The Topsfield Fair in Essex County is recognized as one of the oldest county fairs in the US. Held each October for ten days leading up to Indigenous Peoples' Day, it draws visitors from across eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

The Big E — Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield — is the largest agricultural event on the East Coast. Drawing over 1.5 million visitors annually in September, it has a significant craft and artisan vendor presence. Hampshire County's Five College area feeds strong 4-H and FFA participation into this fair tradition.

Popular Cities for Craft Events in Massachusetts

Boston

The SoWa Open Market runs every Sunday May through mid-November — 175+ makers on Thayer Street in the South End, free admission. CraftBoston Spring and CraftBoston Holiday (produced by the Society of Arts + Crafts, founded in Boston in 1897) are the city's flagship juried craft weekends. In December, the Indigenous Arts Bazaar at the Cyclorama features artisans from Indigenous communities worldwide.

Cambridge

Harvard Square's Sunday Open Market brings 45+ local artisans to Church Street from June through late October — free, walkable, and embedded in one of the Boston area's most active pedestrian corridors. The Harvard Square Holiday Fair in December is one of the most popular holiday craft events in Greater Boston.

Salem

Salem's craft calendar is unusually dense for a city of 45,000. The Salem Arts Festival Artisan Street Fair fills historic downtown each June. The Salem Holiday Market runs November–December. Throughout October, hundreds of thousands of visitors arrive for Haunted Happenings — creating an extended market for artisan and handmade vendors. Artists' Row provides permanent maker gallery space year-round.

Northampton

Northampton hosts two annual editions of Paradise City Arts Festivals — Memorial Day Weekend (May) and Columbus Day Weekend (October) — both at the Three County Fairgrounds, with 200+ juried artisans each. The Three County Fair on Labor Day Weekend adds an agricultural fair. Northampton is home to Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program, the state's only residential multidisciplinary craft school.

Provincetown

The tip of Cape Cod has been an artist colony since the early 1900s. Summer craft market activity centers on The Commons' artisan fairs, the UUMH craft fairs, and the Saturday Farmers Market (mid-May through October). Commercial Street's gallery row operates year-round with handmade fine craft and studio art from local artists.

Stockbridge

The Stockbridge Summer Arts & Craft Show — 30+ years running — fills the village in August with 65+ jury-selected artists. The nearby Berkshires Arts Festival at Ski Butternut (Great Barrington, ~12 miles) features 175 artisans in a nationally respected juried show. December brings the Norman Rockwell Main Street at Christmas event with associated holiday market activity.

Nantucket

The Sustainable Nantucket Farmers & Artisans Market runs Saturdays through summer in downtown Nantucket. Nantucket lightship basket weaving — a craft tradition specific to the island going back to the mid-1800s — means this market carries handmade items you won't find anywhere else. The Nantucket Arts Festival in October provides a shoulder-season draw.

Martha's Vineyard

Vineyard Artisans Festivals are the island's signature recurring event — the only weekly juried art show where buyers can meet island artisans directly. The MVCMA Craft and Artisan Fair (41st annual) and the Chilmark Flea Market round out the island's craft calendar. The Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair in August is the island's own fair tradition.

Seasonal Guide to Massachusetts Craft Shows

• Paradise City Arts Festival Northampton launches Memorial Day Weekend
• CraftBoston Spring typically runs in this window
• SoWa Open Market and Harvard Square Open Market both start in May
• The craft season begins in earnest with warming weather

• SoWa Open Market and Harvard Square Open Market run weekly
• Salem Arts Festival runs in June
• Provincetown, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard markets at full activity July–August
• Stockbridge Summer Arts & Craft Show in August
• Berkshires Arts Festival in Great Barrington (summer)
• Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair in August

The season's most concentrated period:

• Three County Fair (Labor Day Weekend, Northampton)
• Fruitlands Craft Festival (September, Harvard MA)
• Paradise City Arts Festival October (Columbus Day Weekend, Northampton)
• Topsfield Fair (October, Essex County)
• Salem October events — Haunted Happenings, Witches' Market
• Nantucket Arts Festival (October)
• Vineyard Artisans Grange Hall Festival (fall)

• CraftBoston Holiday
• Salem Holiday Market
• Harvard Square Holiday Fair
• Indigenous Arts Bazaar at the Cyclorama (Boston)
• SoWa Winter Festival
• West Stockbridge Holiday Market
• Berkshire Botanical Garden Holiday Marketplace

Types of Events You'll Find

• Juried craft shows — application-based, curated quality; Paradise City, CraftBoston, Fruitlands, Berkshires Arts Festival
• Open-air markets — weekly recurring; SoWa Open Market, Harvard Square Open Market
• Holiday craft markets — CraftBoston Holiday, Salem Holiday Market, Harvard Square Holiday Fair, Indigenous Arts Bazaar
• Agricultural fairs with craft vendors — Three County Fair, Topsfield Fair, Big E, Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair
• Artisan street fairs — Salem Arts Festival Artisan Street Fair, chamber-organized downtown events
• Island artisan markets — Vineyard Artisans Festivals, Sustainable Nantucket Farmers & Artisans Market, Chilmark Flea Market
• Maker and farmers markets — Provincetown Farmers Market, West Tisbury Farmers Market

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to find craft shows in Massachusetts?

Fall is the peak season — September and October bring the Three County Fair on Labor Day Weekend, Paradise City's October show, the Topsfield Fair, and Salem's extended Haunted Happenings market season.

Memorial Day Weekend is the second major peak (Paradise City Spring). Summer keeps the schedule full with weekly markets in Boston, Cambridge, Cape Cod, and the Islands running June through August.

Are there country fairs with handmade vendors in Massachusetts?

Several of Massachusetts' longest-running agricultural fairs include active craft and handmade vendor sections.

The Three County Fair in Northampton (since 1818), the Topsfield Fair in Essex County, and the Big E in West Springfield all feature craft vendors alongside traditional agricultural programming. The Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair in August is the island's own fair tradition, with arts and crafts as part of its annual program.

How do I find craft shows near me in Massachusetts?

CraftShow Events lets you search by city, region, and date across Massachusetts. Using your city as a starting point and expanding to nearby towns is the most effective way to catch events within a reasonable drive.

Are Massachusetts craft shows free to attend?

It varies by event.

The SoWa Open Market, Harvard Square Open Market, and many community craft fairs are free to attend. Juried shows like Paradise City Arts Festivals charge admission ($16–26 for multi-day passes). The Topsfield Fair charges gate admission. Most agricultural fairs charge general admission.

What types of crafts are popular at Massachusetts fairs?

Ceramics and pottery, metalsmithing and jewelry, fiber arts (weaving, basketry, quilting — with a nod to New England's colonial craft tradition), woodworking, flat and blown glass, and fine art prints appear at most shows.

Island-specific crafts include Nantucket lightship basket weaving and wampum jewelry (a Wampanoag tradition) on Martha's Vineyard. Berkshires shows tend toward fine art alongside craft. Salem artisan markets often include handmade items in the witchcraft and metaphysical traditions — candles, botanicals, occult-themed jewelry — a niche unique to that market.

Is Massachusetts a good state for craft fair vendors?

Massachusetts has a well-organized craft fair circuit with strong buyer demographics. Juried shows like Paradise City and CraftBoston attract serious collectors. Open markets like SoWa provide steady weekly exposure.

The state's arts tourism infrastructure — from Tanglewood to the Berkshires to the Islands — means craft vendors in the right markets have access to visitors specifically seeking quality handmade goods. The Society of Arts + Crafts has supported the state's artisan community since 1897.

Discover Events in Massachusetts

CraftShow Events lists craft shows, handmade fairs, and country fairs across all regions of Massachusetts — from the North Shore to the Pioneer Valley, from the Berkshires to the Cape and Islands.