More than 130 local vendors will set up shop at NTC Park at Liberty Station on November 28 and 29, when San Diego Made returns with its annual holiday market. The two-day outdoor festival opens on Small Business Saturday and runs from 10 am to 5 pm the first day and 10 am to 4 pm the second, with live music, food and drinks, and seasonal activities rounding out the family-friendly event.
The market is hosted by San Diego Made Markets and is held at NTC Park, located at 2455 Cushing Rd, according to KPBS. Admission runs $5 for adults, while children 10 and under get in free. Shoppers who complete a scavenger hunt can score a free handmade gift while supplies last, and the whole event supports San Diego Made, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built around the region's independent artisans.
A Collective Born From Barrio Logan Warehouse Closures
San Diego Made traces its roots back to 2014, when four local creators — graphic designer Brittany Kaszas, clothing designer Kristin Dinnis, and woodworkers Brook Dailey and Sarah Anderson — banded together to give independent artisans a collective voice, networking opportunities, and a public sales platform, according to SDVoyager. The founders originally operated out of a shared studio in Barrio Logan before city officials shut down two unpermitted arts warehouses there in 2017 as part of a citywide enforcement action following Oakland's Ghost Ship fire.
That closure pushed the group to secure a business loan from CDC Small Business Finance to establish the San Diego Made Factory, a permitted coworking and maker facility in Logan Heights, according to CDC Small Business Finance. The transition turned what began as a pop-up market into permanent physical infrastructure for local artists. The organization has since expanded its footprint at Liberty Station, having drawn more than 120 makers to its summer market there in August, as previously reported by Hoodline.
City Grants and Community Programs Back the Group's Mission
San Diego Made's public community showcases are part of its broader mission. The nonprofit also runs My Creative Journey, an initiative offering free workshops, public art displays, and paid artist residencies to emerging creatives living in San Diego's federally designated Promise Zone neighborhoods, which covers historically under-resourced communities across the city.
Small Business Saturday Timing Carries Regional Weight
Opening the market on Small Business Saturday is no accident. The shopping holiday was created by American Express in 2010 to support independent retailers during the post-2008 economic recovery and has been officially cosponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration since 2011, driving an estimated $22 billion in national spending in 2024, with consumer spending on the day jumping 29% between 2023 and 2024.
That timing matters locally, too. Small businesses with under 100 employees make up roughly 99% of all commercial firms in the San Diego region and employ 60% of the local workforce, nearly double the national average, according to the San Diego Regional EDC. Local businesses retain some consumer spending within the local economy, while national chains send some spending elsewhere.
Weather Forced Last Year's Market to Shift Dates
Outdoor craft markets carry their own risks. Last year's San Diego Made Holiday Market offers a reminder that event plans can shift quickly. This year's schedule is likewise subject to change without notice.
A Historic Naval Base Turned Community Gathering Space
NTC Park sits on the historic footprint of Naval Training Center San Diego within Liberty Station, according to CBS News 8. The park is owned and managed by the City of San Diego's Park and Recreation Department and includes two tot lot playgrounds, three comfort stations, an outdoor basketball court, four multipurpose fields, four passive picnic and special event fields, and one large special event field called Preble Field.
The venue is used for community gatherings, including fairs and cultural festivals. Such gatherings also carry broader financial stakes for the region.
Those interested in the San Diego Made Holiday Market can reach organizers at [email protected] or by calling 619-817-5517, while questions about NTC Park itself can be directed to 619-531-1534.
