WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — More than 40 vendors gathered Sunday at the Willoughby Senior Center for the 2026 Willoughby Spring & Shop Handmade Market.
The free, family-friendly event featured handmade goods from local artisans and makers, including jewelry, home décor, apparel, seasonal gifts and specialty items.
Becki Silverstein, founder of Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows, said handmade markets offer something shoppers cannot always find in larger stores: a connection to the person behind the product.
"The joy of someone buying and appreciating something like that, and hearing the story about why they want to give something. You kind of make this connection with your vendor,” Silverstein said. “People actually start following these vendors from show to show.”
Silverstein said supporting local makers can also help fuel the local economy.
"Just supporting and fueling your local economy while making a difference in someone’s life and meeting the person whose life you are supporting and whose craft,” Silverstein said. “I think that has its own message in itself.”
The event was hosted in partnership with the city of Willoughby.
