What to Know
- Mermade Market 2023 at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point
- Free entry and parking; Nov. 8-11, 2023; tickets to explore the nearby Spirit of Dana Point ship will also be available for purchase
- The "hand-curated marketplace" will feature "over 140 indoor and outdoor makers," plus chances to stroll by ocean-themed exhibits
We're entering the sparkly and shop-y season of handmade markets, those pretty pop-ups that feature all sorts of well-crafted goods, from elegant ceramics to quirky kitchen towels to offbeat earrings to gorgeous wearables and all sorts of playful pet products, too.
These markets will bloom at our local parks, and around downtown or old town areas, too, but there is one goodie-filled gathering that is set to make whimsical waves at a spot that has long been devoted to ocean education.
It's the Mermade Market, and the name alone reveals that this festive offering will come ashore somewhere special. And that special place? It's the Ocean Institute in Dana Point.
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Adding to the specialness of this particular "hand-curated marketplace" is the fact that it will unfold over four days, from Nov. 8-11, rather than a single night or weekend.
Over 140 Southern California-based makers, the artisans who create all sorts of baubles, snacks, artworks, and more, will call upon the display-filled destination, appearing both indoors and outside.
Also happening outside? Food trucks will stop by, and a beer garden will materialize, briefly, on the afternoon of Nov. 10.
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Adding to the allure of this art-meets-ocean event? You'll be able to find oodles of intriguing educational moments as you peruse the gift-filled tables and enjoy the seasonal scene.
The Ocean Institute reveals that "(d)uring Mermade Market, our facilities will be open in select areas where you can explore marine mammal artifacts, interact with our touch tanks, local species in aquariums, and even squid dissections!"
Entry to Mermade Market is free, and parking is complimentary, too. For more information about one of Southern California's splashiest seasonal marketplaces, dive into this page now.
