The Ultimate Hudson Valley Holiday Gift Guide: Find the Perfect Present at Hullabaloo

Your complete guide to shopping 75+ makers by recipient

Stumped on what to get your sister-in-law who has everything? Your friend who's passionate about sustainability? Your dad, who appreciates the finer things? The Hudson Valley Hullabaloo has you covered. With 75+ vendors showcasing everything from fermented delicacies to handcrafted art, this year's marketplace on November 22-23 is your one-stop solution for truly thoughtful, unique gifts that show you actually care.

For the Foodie Who Has Every Gadget

Skip the kitchen tools they'll never use and give them flavors they've never tasted. Fruition Chocolate Works brings artisan bean-to-bar chocolates that elevate cacao to an art form. Hetta Glogg offers the traditional Scandinavian spiced wine concentrate—just add wine or juice for an instant holiday gathering essential. Favor Coffee Company provides small-batch roasted beans for the coffee aficionado. La Pequeña brings specialty provisions that add authentic flavor to holiday meals. And Wood Fire Food offers artisan provisions crafted with rustic, traditional methods (don’t sleep on the smoked olives!).

Gift Idea: Create a gourmet basket combining Fruition chocolates, Favor coffee, and Hetta Glogg for the ultimate cozy winter evening package.

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For the Cocktail Connoisseur

Liquid Fables brings botanical spirits and creative mixology essentials. Combined with The Ardent Homesteader's artisan syrups and infusions, you can create a complete home bar upgrade. These aren't your run-of-the-mill liquor store finds—they're conversation starters with local stories.

Gift Idea: Create a "Hudson Valley Happy Hour" basket with craft spirits and gourmet cocktail accessories.

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For the Self-Care Devotee

Natural, plant-based wellness abounds at this year's market. Catskills Comfrey offers healing salves and botanical remedies rooted in herbalism. Earthly Remedies By Erin brings nature-based wellness products. Gnome Apothecary provides thoughtfully crafted herbal preparations. Morphologically Aromatherapy & Crystals combines essential oils with crystal healing for a holistic approach to wellness.

Gift Idea: Build a spa basket with healing salves, aromatherapy blends, and a handwoven towel from one of the fiber artists.

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For the Art Lover with Eclectic Taste

Amanda Surveski Wildlife Art captures the beauty of local fauna in detailed illustrations. Amy Ackerman Art brings contemporary fine art pieces. Lora Shelley Artworks offers unique visual creations. Habby Art provides playful, distinctive pieces perfect for anyone who doesn't take their decor too seriously. Hyde Nor Hare Productions brings quirky, imaginative works that spark conversation.

Gift Idea: Pair an original art piece with a vintage companion piece from one of the curated vintage vendors for maximum impact.

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For the Person Who "Doesn't Need Anything"

This is where experiences and handcrafted treasures shine. Old Hurley Pen Shoppe offers beautifully crafted writing instruments that transform everyday note-taking into a ritual. Quick Brown Fox Letterpress brings tactile, hand-printed cards and paper goods. Postage Stamp Jewelry creates wearable art from vintage postage stamps—tiny pieces of history you can wear. Or get a hand-drawn portrait by Thorneater Comics that captures their personality in whimsical illustration.

Gift Idea: Present a beautiful pen with a set of letterpress cards to complete the gift.

For Everyone Else on Your List

With 75+ vendors spanning textiles, leather goods, paper products, home goods, vintage treasures, and more, the Hullabaloo offers options for literally every person in your life. Wilder Leather brings sleek leather accessories. Kelly Ryan Hand Embroidery offers intricate textile art. ClayxFiber combines ceramics with fiber arts. Round Designs and Winter-Maker Designs provide unique creations. love from brooklyn creates whimsical hand-stitched felt gifts and colorful garlands—handmade treasures for babies, children, and adults. From stocking stuffers to statement pieces, practical to purely decorative—it's all here under one roof.

Shopping Tip: Arrive with an open mind. The best gifts are often the ones you didn't know you were looking for until you saw them. That's part of the magic!

Make It a Shopping Event

The Hullabaloo isn't just about checking off your list; it's about enjoying the process. DJ Mr. Chips provides the soundtrack, Harana Market, Hole in the Wall donuts, and Samosa Shack keep you fueled, and the energy of dozens of makers creates an atmosphere you won't find anywhere else. Bring a friend, make it a date, or turn it into a family outing. 

Event Details

When: Saturday, November 22 (10 AM-5 PM) & Sunday, November 23 (10 AM-4 PM)
Where: Andy Murphy Midtown Neighborhood Center, 467 Broadway, Kingston
Parking: While the Andy Murphy Center has a small lot, there are municipal lots within a short walk (one across Broadway and one behind Eliza) and street parking on Broadway and surrounding side streets (metered on Saturday).
Admission: $2 cash at the door; free for kids 12 and under (NO PETS due to City of Kingston regulations)
Preview the vendors: hvhullabaloo.com
Follow for updates: @hudsonvalleyhullabaloo | Facebook

The Hudson Valley Hullabaloo is proudly sponsored by Ulster County Tourism, Catskill Art Supply, and Catskill Crew.

2015 Wrap Up: A HUGE Hullabaloo Thank You!

Photo by Richard A. Smith

We may be better rested than we were two weekends ago, but we’re no less excited! We had an incredible two days, and we’re bursting with so much love and appreciation for everyone who helped make this year’s event such a success.

We’re now in our third year, and growth has been more-than-steady. This year, we added about 15 additional vendors, and shopper attendance was up almost 40% from last year—more than 2,500 people came through our doors this year to shop, hang out, and support local and regional artists, designers, makers, craftspeople, vintage collectors, and artisanal food purveyors!

Shoppers came from near (all over the Hudson Valley) and far (from Manhattan, Brooklyn, NJ, CT, RI, PA…), choosing to purchase handcrafted gifts from makers and small businesses, rather than at the malls or from huge online retailers. They RAVED about the talented and diverse collection of vendors and their unique, high-quality offerings. Many vendors reported that their sales at Hullabaloo were record-breaking, many had to skip the after party on Saturday night to make more merchandise for Sunday, and a nearby bank’s ATMs even ran out of cash (coincidence? We think not!). Everything went off without a hitch and the consensus seems to be that everyone—vendors, shoppers, and sponsors—had a terrific time!  The response from the community, our sponsors, and the local, regional, and lifestyle/design media has been overwhelming.

Hullabaloo has quickly become “a thing” that has taken off and surpassed our expectations. We started this to bring something to Kingston that would showcase area makers and introduce the community to the talent in our midst. We wanted to create a hip, festive atmosphere that would encourage connections and commerce, offering a unique experience and an alternative to malls and big box stores.  We’ve felt for a long time that Kingston was on the verge of becoming a hub for culture and the arts and wanted to do our part to nudge it along. We seem to have gotten the timing right, being both propelled by the renaissance our beloved city is experiencing, and doing our small part to help it build momentum.

We’re very proud of what this has become, and know that we couldn’t be on this wild ride without so many people who help make this a success, and a lot of fun.  We are bursting with excitement, appreciation, and love for every single one of you who helped us make this event truly unique, and hugely successful.

Special thanks to:

·       Peter Demuth Photography – Peter and Peg ran the photo booth with both mad photography skills and tireless enthusiasm, snapping almost 2,000 photos, available on their Facebook. They even rousted a photogenic grizzly bear out of hibernation to loosen up the crowd.

·       Tom Delooza’s Wet Plate Photography – As one of our most unique event features, Tom “old-schooled” a large chunk of the Hudson Valley population. In this age of selfie sticks and cell phone “photography,” we’re so honored to have someone with his talent and thoughtful commitment to a time-honored process be a part of our event.

Photo by Richard A. Smith

·       DJ Mr. Chips –What DJ does seven hour sets AND manages to keep it fresh and festive all day long?!?!? Mr. Chips not only found the right balance between making Hullabaloo an awesome party and making conversation/transactions audible, he played a seriously rad mix of music, including ridiculously innovative mash-ups, holiday soul, old-school hip-hop, and more! He helped us create the right energy and get people in the holiday spirit without ever once playing anything you’d hear at the mall.

Photo by Richard A. Smith

·       Volunteers – We are SO LUCKY to have amazing families and friends who helped out in so ways…There were no small favors—Everyone went WAY above and WAY beyond, whether they put up tables, made decorations, worked the welcome table, or just were patient with us when we may have been a bit grumpy and feeling under-the-gun. There are too many people to name here, but they know who they are, and our hearts are full with appreciation. THANK YOU!

·       Sponsors – We’re so lucky to count so many awesome businesses and organizations among our supporters:

o   The Heavy Light Show (BEST. RADIO SHOW. EVER. Seriously, listen in on Saturdays nights from 9:00 till 11:00 on WDST!)

o   Green Mountain Energy (Changing the way power is made.)

o   R&F Handmade Paints (Some seriously cool stuff goes on in their midtown building.)

o   Birch Body Care (home of the walk-in massage!)

o   Chronogram (the voice of Valley since before other places were talking about us)

o   Bike Friendly Kingston (for free bike parking and a group ride during Hullabaloo!)

o   Kingston Land Trust (for the protection and preservation of things and places we love!)

o   Cornell St. Studios (so many great events and activities under one roof!)

o   The Mighty Mite (that health-conscious, in-the-know friend you need)

o   New York States of Mind (a digital magazine and marketplace celebrating this great state)

o   One Mile Gallery (a world class gallery that puts the fine arty in our party!)

o   Kingston Wine Co. (Visit for great recommendations and info on wine CSAs!)

o   Bailey Pottery Equipment (gifts and classes for the potter or ceramicist on your list)

o   Antilogy Design & Screenprinting (for doing a bang-up job of printing the goodie bags!)

o   The Anchor (for the great atmosphere and super specials to unwind at the After Party!)

·       Vendors – We’re proud to count all of you not only among our incredibly talented vendors, but also as friends. SO MUCH LOVE.

·       Shoppers – A TREMENDOUS thank you to EVERYONE who came from near and far to support local artists, designers, craftspeople, makers, and purveyors. Thank you for your rave reviews, your support, and your enthusiasm. We are overwhelmed.

Before you know it, we’ll be planning future events, so keep an eye on our website and social media pages.  Thanks again for a fantastic year! We can’t wait to see you again soon!

Photo by Richard A. Smith

Vendor Feature: Troy Cloth & Paper, Tidy Thyme, Vernacular Design, and Thorneater Comics

There’s not much these four vendors have in common—besides their sheer awesomeness! We’re so excited to have Troy Cloth & Paper, Thorneater Comics, and Vernacular Design back for this year’s Hullabaloo, and we’re psyched to welcome Tidy Thyme to the event for the first time! Whether you need a kale t-shirt for a veggie-loving friend, want to make cleaning your home a healthier process, need a beautiful cutting board or a gorgeous custom table, or want some reading material to transport you to a mythical, magical forest, Hullabaloo can help you out! See you next weekend! 

Troy Cloth & Paper, Troy, NY

Taylor is the founder and principal artist of Troy Cloth & Paper, a brick and mortar retail store and screen-printing shop in Downtown Troy. They print for a bunch of clients there (you can go watch!), offer workshops (learn to print your own t-shirt!), plus have a great selection of their products in stock.  While many of their signature items express their Troy pride, other greeting cards, art prints, t-shirts, and accessories feature clever quips, witty one-liners, and fun messages.  Got a newly-vegetarian friend? The “#Kaled it!” t-shirt will make them forget bacon for a bit. Besides cards for every occasion, “You’re my favorite person (besides Neil deGrasse Tyson),” “I love you in ways no emoji can express,” and “I’m sorry your team is terrible” are just a few messages worth sending the old fashioned way! Need something cool to hang in the kitchen? They’ve got tons of food-inspired prints! This is Troy Cloth & Paper’s second Hullabaloo, and we’re thrilled to have them…so help us welcome them back! 

Tidy Thyme, Altamont, NY

Did you know that many of the products marketed as “green” are still full of super-scary junk? After losing someone special to cancer, Michelle, who has her own cleaning business, started doing some research and what she found was alarming. She started Tidy Thyme to make cleaning safer (and, dare we say, more enjoyable) for herself and her clients. Now she not only cleans houses using her own green products (Green Genies), she also offers her line of plant-based cleaning and home products at select markets! Her products are free of ammonia, chlorine, dyes, synthetic fragrances, animal testing, animal products/by-products, and a bunch of other chemicals I couldn’t spell, which are frequently used in common household products.  Got an oven that needs more than just elbow grease before the turkey goes in? Try Tidy Thyme’s scrubbing powder! Need to wipe away the dust before the holiday guests arrive? Try her dusting spray! She’s even got a yoga mat cleaner, candles, room and linen sprays, and more! All of them are incredibly effective and smell AMAZING! They’re even packaged so prettily that they make great gifts (have you ever tried wrapping up a bottle of Clorox? Not the same effect)! Know what else she does that’s awesome? Works with a non-profit to provide green cleaning services at no charge to families affected by cancer. Say hello to Michelle at her first Hullabaloo and make cleaning safer for someone on your holiday list!

Vernacular Design, Kingston, NY

Jack grew up in the Hudson Valley and developed a deep appreciation for historic architecture and fine craftsmanship. He went on to study design principles, patterns, and tools, later applying this knowledge to renovate historic homes (think moulding, custom stairs, mantlepieces, and much much more) and design and make custom furniture (everything from custom cabinetry to dining chairs) with expert skills and meticulous attention to detail.  In addition to his furniture and restoration work, Jack makes small pieces and giftable homewares—like beautiful cutting boards, knife blocks, wooden vases, and other home accessories—with the same respect for materials, traditional processes, and timeless design elements. We’ve been eyeing his knife block since the last Hullabaloo! We also hear that Jack is building a dining room table that he may use in his display at Hullabaloo, so if you’re interested in bigger, custom pieces, check out an example in the flesh!  This is Jack’s second Hullabaloo (you may remember him from the Freeman’s article on Hullabaloo in the Preview last year) so stop by and welcome him back!

Thorneater Comics, West Hurley, NY

Seriously, how cool is Will? Remember last year when he did $1 portraits at Hullabaloo? While we hate to disappoint you, we’re going to try to let you down easy…Will is most likely going to be out of the country (because his work is a huge deal in France now!) during Hullabaloo, so no $1 portraits this year (sad face)….However, he’s got a buddy covering his table so that you can get his drawings, books, t-shirts, and other merch at Hullabaloo anyway (we only had to beg a little; luckily, he’s a super nice guy.) If you don’t know Will, he’s a local illustrator whose comics appears weekly in The Woodstock Times and The Saugerties Times.  Then he binds them up (often by hand!) when the series is done, and sells them as books or limited edition boxed sets. He’ll also have his illustrations, t-shirts, and other products, including prints of that amazing map of the Catskills that he did for Almanac recently. His work is eerily charming, full of secrets and surprises, mythical magical woodland creatures, and the people who stumble upon them (usually when they’re most in need of guidance). His work is whimsical but hip, delightful and intriguing, insightful and endearing… We can’t wait to pick out a few more prints for ourselves! This is Will’s second Hullabaloo and we bet you can’t wait to see him again!