Craft Fairs & Farmers Markets in Columbia, South Carolina

Juried multi-day art & craft show at the State Fairgrounds.

Juried indie craft fair (Flock & Rally), ~100 Southeast makers at the convention center.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Holiday Market in Columbia at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds draws more than 12,000 shoppers seeking out an average of 160 merchants. The market features a curated selection of makers, artists, and specialty merchants —expect handcrafted goods, specialty foods, and seasonal items. Holiday Market is the largest fundraiser for the Junior League of Columbia, and it's a well-established December event with strong foot traffic and a crowded, established audience.

Rosewood Art & Music Festival is a nonprofit, one-day, free admittance outdoor festival held in the Rosewood neighborhood at Rosewood Park, 901 S. Holly Street. Started in 2010, it draws thousands of visitors to enjoy multiple stages of live entertainment, visual arts, poets, and music celebrating southern arts and culture. Columbia's micro urban festival —solid foot traffic with an arts-forward crowd.

Soda City Market is Columbia's weekly Main Street event — a producer-only market where vendors must make or grow their own products. Everything sold is hand-crafted and sourced from the Southeast, including fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, antique/vintage items, and cultural foods representing 33+ nationalities. Open year-round every Saturday morning, the market draws up to 7,000 visitors on regular weeks and fields an average of 200 vendors per week (400+ unique vendors rotate throughout the year). Located across five blocks of Main Street with live music, buskers, and strong foot traffic. Several vendors have launched brick-and-mortar locations after success here.

Running since 1869, South Carolina State Fair is held annually in Columbia and is the state's largest recurring event, drawing over 400,000 fairgoers annually. The fair showcases handcrafted goods, farm-fresh produce, and unique treasures all proudly created, grown, or made in South Carolina. The SC State Fair is a self-supported charitable organization dedicated to educating South Carolina's young adults, with over $500,000 in scholarships offered annually. In addition to commerical rates, SC Small Business & Local Crafted Merchandise Vendor Rates are available (fee noted below).

The 40th annual Vista Lights in Columbia's Congaree Vista neighborhood is a free holiday open house where 60+ galleries, shops, and restaurants stay open late and showcase holiday goods and seasonal menus. A Vista Lights Artisan Market (second year running) features local makers selling holiday gifts outside the Columbia SC Visitors Center. Live performances from local dance and music groups lead into a tree-lighting ceremony, followed by live music until late evening. Street closures allow foot traffic to flow freely through the neighborhood.

The All-Local Farmers Market, also known as the Vista Marketplace at Whaley, runs Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 711 Whaley St. in Columbia. It brings regional producers, growers, and artisans together to sell directly to the community, with fresh local produce, meats, freshly baked breads, ready-to-eat hot food, and handmade crafts. The site has a long front porch with seating and occasionally hosts live acoustic music, so shoppers tend to linger. Note: You must contact this organizer directly to apply—no application link or vendor information is available online.