Located on Athens across from Madison Park, is the Screw Factory, a collection of art studios rented by local artists. The Screw Factory offers multiple types of classes such as ceramics or jewelry making that anyone can sign up to take.

Besides classes, the residents of the art studios put on shows every fall and spring to showcase their work; but they are most known for the Holiday Market the Screw Factory puts on every year.

This year the Holiday Market is Friday, December 14th 6pm-10pm and Saturday, December 15th 10am-6pm, with free admission and parking. The Market will showcase over sixty artists with their methods, ways, and art. You can buy their work and even learn about how it’s made and the company or artist themselves.

One artist, Jenn Szalkowski, who has a glass studio where she makes jewelry, plates, and home decor, also teaches classes and has a lot to say about the event itself. Her favorite part about the event is, the opportunity to “interact with the public,” and because it “further expands art into Lakewood’s community.” She went on to say, “a lot of people say they never knew this building ever existed and they’ve lived here their whole life…It is a great opportunity to get people excited about art.”

Lakewood is the perfect environment to host such an artsy event with eclectic, creative, and truly one of a kind artists. The fact that the Screw Factory is located on the East Side of Lakewood in the historic Birdtown District only adds to the uniqueness of the event.

The Holiday market is a fun event to go to, with stands of every shape and size, it appeals to even the young, the old, and all the in between. it is the perfect opportunity for fun and to find all your gifts for the upcoming holidays.