Champlin's Holiday Artisan Market is set to take over the Mississippi Crossings Event Center on November 21 and 22, bringing handcrafted goods, specialty foods and creations from local makers, bakers and artisans to the riverside venue. Vendor booths for the two-day event are already full, and city organizers are urging residents to watch out for scammers trying to cash in on the market's popularity.
The market runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, at Mississippi Crossings, located at 307 E. River Parkway in Champlin, according to a post from City of Champlin on Facebook. The event aims to support small businesses and holiday shoppers alike, giving residents a chance to knock out gift-list items while sticking close to home.
A Packed Roster of Local Makers
Shoppers can expect booths from Ferries Photography, Neatonpics, Stoneridge Farms, Choco-Lotta Love and Panda Squad Cookies, among the vendors confirmed for the market. The lineup also includes Creative Clemens Crafts, Dianne's Diamond Art, Denimitts, Up North Goods and MBQ Design, plus Handforged Jewelry by Heather, Crafting Classics and Ever Floral Shop & Farm.
Rounding out the vendor list are 3R Botanicals, Lieser Custom Creations, Rum River Candles Company, E & J Design, Cards by Diane, Turntable Pottery, Stark Designs, Hickory and Oil Soap Co., Zoss Design and Red Wagon Creations. The city's post describes a festive shopping experience filled with unique, handcrafted gifts and local treats, according to Champlin, MN's official website, which encourages residents to support local businesses this holiday season.
City Flags Registration Scams Ahead of the Market
With vendor booths now full, event organizers are warning people to be cautious of registration scams, and the city says it will share official event updates directly rather than through third parties. Organizers have also specified that they do not use social media comments to sell vendor spaces, a detail aimed squarely at anyone who might see an offer pop up in a comment thread and assume it's legitimate.
The caution tracks with a broader pattern seen at holiday markets elsewhere. In one case detailed by Yahoo News Canada, scammers cloned a fair's official registration form and email blasted the event's own vendor list to solicit sign-ups. The same report notes that vendors caught up in these schemes are often left sitting on unsold goods and have no other way to make up the cost.
A Trend Showing Up at Other Craft Fairs
Similar warnings have surfaced recently at other holiday markets. The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador said scammers had been impersonating the organization to solicit vendor applications and payments ahead of its Christmas Craft Fair, as reported by VOCM. Fraudulent vendor calls in that case were even circulated through trusted community organizations acting on the Craft Council's behalf, according to the outlet.
That Newfoundland fair, like Champlin's market, was fully booked, and organizers advised anyone who received an offer of vendor space to check directly with the host organization before paying anything. Champlin shoppers who want to confirm event details can look to the city's own channels rather than secondhand offers, following the same logic local officials are promoting this season.
