Annual East End-Based Holiday Gift Boutique To Provide Over A Month Of Seasonal Shopping

Have you been singing along to seasonal favorites non-stop since they started popping up on the radio before Halloween? Are you ready to full-on embrace the holiday season, even though it’s well over a month away? Well, get ready to break out your wrapping station because the Grand Opening for East End Arts’ (EEA) Annual Holiday Gift Boutique at the East End Arts Gallery is here.

On Saturday, November 11, from 12 to 7 p.m., shop local and accomplish some seasonal retail therapy at the launch of the beloved gift market.

A dichroic glass wine stopper by Barbara Marsh. (Courtesy Photo)

Shoppers can peruse through an extraordinary selection of one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts, all of which were crafted by local artists. This year’s extravaganza will include stunning hand-made ornaments, exquisite greeting cards, spectacular one-of-a-kind jewelry and wearables, beautiful home goods and crafts, delightful holiday books, and more.

“We have a lot of wonderful handmade items from our talented member artists for sale at this year’s gift boutique – fused glass items, dichroic glass jewelry, ornaments and wine stoppers, intricate beadwork, basketry, handmade soaps, soy candles, and on and on,” shared Jane Kirkwood, East End Arts Gallery Director. “Diana Conklin is selling gorgeous dried flower arrangements and Thien August has very creative knit ware for babies — adorable hats with flowers and sheep ears or bunny ears and knitted ‘Tooth Pillows’ where a lost tooth goes into a little pocket on the back to be replaced by money to be found by the child next morning.”

And if you haven’t shopped until you dropped at the Gallery, EEA will also present a Pop Up Artisan Collective at Fresh Pond School House (133 East Main Street, Riverhead), a recently renovated, one room school house. The intimate shopping experience will highlight works from up to seven artisans whose works will be on display select Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m.

“The Pop-up is very much in progress right now,” Kirkwood added. “It’s a weekend only deal to take place in the 19th Century Fresh Pond Schoolhouse right across from the Carriage House on our property during the run of our gift boutique. So far Tom’s Reclaimed Creations – furniture made from recycled wood pallets—will be a one man show presented in the schoolhouse on Sunday, November 12, Saturday, November 18 and Saturday, November 25.”

Flower arrangements by Diana Conklin. (Photo: Diana Conklin)

The Holiday Gift Boutique will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 12 to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. For those last minute shoppers, the Gift Boutique will be open through Sunday, December 24. EEA members will receive a 15 percent discount on all purchases.

East End Arts Gallery is located at 133 East Main Street in Riverhead. For more information, call 631-727-0900 or visit www.eastendarts.org.