The One of a Kind Christmas Show & Sale celebrates its 40th anniversary, and returns once again to the Direct Energy Centre at Toronto’s Exhibition Place from November 27 to December 7, 2014. Shop from over 800 artisans and designers, and enjoy designer DIY workshops, fashion shows, industry expert sessions, charity initiatives, special gift installations and much more.
For many Canadians, the Christmas Show is a longstanding shopping tradition in search of one-of-a-kind gifts from chic statement necklaces to cool leather bowties to distinctly flavoured lavender shortbread cookies to hand-printed festive cards. And for many artisans and designers, the One of a Kind Show & Sale has been credited for being a turning point in their careers. They see the show as an authority within the handmade community and they embrace the opportunity to expose their beautiful creations to an audience of over 140,000 people.
“The One of a Kind Show is curated by a passionate team that searches the nation from big cities to small towns for the best of the best and the next generation of talent,” says Patti Stewart, Show Director. “We’ve been doing this for 40 years now, so our visitors look to us as the place to discover a wide selection of quality craftsmanship and well-designed goods that are made in Canada. Our longevity means a lot to our artisans as well since they establish a loyal following year after year and create new customer relationships.”
Since inception, the One of a Kind Show & Sale has grown to become a biannual event (Christmas and Spring) with artisans and designers from across the country descending on Toronto to offer an array of items from a wide range of categories such as furniture, home décor, artisanal food, fashion, jewelry, natural beauty products, toys and visual art. The show offers a breadth and depth of handmade talents from woodworkers using traditional hand tools to a new breed of makers incorporating laser cutting and 3D printing for their innovative designs.
The ongoing popularity of the show is largely due to the “makers’ movement,” a strong demand for handcrafted goods and a present-day consciousness by the consumer from the hipster to the Baby Boomer to know where and who makes the products they buy. With the joy of discovering new items, show-goers have the opportunity to meet the makers and learn the stories and inspirations behind their creations. To celebrate “the handmade” this season, the “art of the craft” will come to life through artisan DIY workshops and demonstrations.
Also, the One of a Kind Online Shop has teamed up with TIFF Shop – the official gift shop for the Toronto International Film Festival – to offer a limited edition of Canadian handmade items. With film lovers in mind and for those who want to give a nod to the arts, a curated selection by six artisans nationwide will feature must-have gift ideas in home décor, fashion accessories, toys, gourmet cookies and stationery. The collection will be available exclusively in-store at the TIFF Shop, located inside the TIFF Bell Lightbox at 350 King Street West and online at the One of a Kind Online Shop (oneofakindonlineshop.com) this holiday season, from October 20 to December 31, 2014.
Hours are: weekdays & Saturdays from 10:00am to 9:00pm, and Sundays from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Late-night shopping takes place on December 4th from 10:00am to 11:00pm. The Direct Energy Centre is located at 100 Princes’ Boulevard at Exhibition Place.
Admission is $12 for adults online, and $14 at the door. Seniors and youth (13-17) are $7, and children (12 and under) are free.
For more information, please visit www.oneofakindshow.com.