Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market: An Experience Beyond Shopping

HOUSTON, TX — Black Friday is still two weeks away, but shoppers are flocking to the annual Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market. The Nutcracker Market, which is the largest fundraising event for the Houston Ballet, opened on Thursday at NRG Center and will run through Sunday.

The Nutcracker Market, a holiday staple in Houston since the early 1980s, is a collection of nearly 300 pop-up shops with merchants selling crafts, food, toys, cool holiday gifts and a lot more.

In 2017, more than 104,600 customers with a strong passion to shop spent over $19.8 million at more than 270 national and international booths ─ each offering unique items for the entire family, including home décor, gourmet food, apparel, accessories, toys, garden items and much more.

Thousands are expected to flood the market this weekend, and if being in the throng of early Christmas shoppers seem a bit overwhelming, there are some tips that could help be better prepared for the holiday frenzy.

• Avoid Parking: Uber or Lyft will be happy to take you, and Lyft is offering discounts to the Nutcracker Market.
• Check the website: There’s a list of vendors, which can help you have a plan of action before you get there.
• Be nice: There’s going to be a lot of people there, so grin and bear it and have some fun while you're at it.

Tickets for the Nutcracker Market are $20 (cash or check) at NRG Center. The Market is open until 8 p.m.on Friday, on Saturday from 10-6, and Sunday 10-5.

To learn more about the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market, click here.

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