It’s the latest thing: Holiday markets that take place on one or two days only, playing matchmaker between local shoppers and local artisans, artists, writers, musicians—anyone with a product to sell.

Among the biggest and coolest of these is the third annual Queen City Market, which happens on Saturday, December 7, 11am-5pm at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum (53 Porter Avenue, Buffalo). There will be more than 50 local vendors, selling either handmade or vintage items—jewelry, ceramics, vintage clothing and housewares, local foods, and much more. Because it’s Buffalo art0centric event, there will be food trucks: Amy’s Place Food Truck, Lloyd Taco Truck, and Rolling Joe Cafe. The organizers are also accepting non-perishable food items as donations for the Food Bank of WNY to help those in need. Entertainment courtsy of the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus. More info at www.qcmbuffalo.com.

Each year the Buffalo History Museum (One Museum Court, on Nottingham and Elmwood, Buffalo) hosts its Local Author Book Signing, which doubles as a book fair: Come and pick up some books by local authirs for the readers on your gift list, and have them autographed by the authors while you’re at it. It takes place Friday, November 30, noon-2pm.

The annual Artists in Buffalo Holiday Open Studios and Galleries affords an opportunity to meet 100 talented local artists and artisans in galleries, studios, homes, and other venues not frequently open to the public. It’s a great time, and a great chance to purchase works by local artists. The 13th annual tour takes place Friday, December 6, 5-9pm; Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, 11am-6pm. You can download a map of particpating venues and artists at www.artistsinbuffalo.org.

The West Side Bazaar isn’t a one-off event; it’s open year-round. But it certainly is a one-stop shopping destination, featuring clothes, crafts, and food froma round the world, sold by vendors representing the West Side’s rich mixture of ethnic groupd: Nepalese, Indian, Somali, Burmese, Sudanese, among others. There’s even a Peruvian counter in the food court. It’s at 25 Grant Street, on the southeast corner of West Ferry.

Gift Guide 2013 Intro This Will Work: 45 Gift Ideas Buy Nothing This Christmas • Shopping Challenge: Downtown Buffalo, Lunchtime • One-Stop Shopping • Everything's On Elmwood • Main Street, East Aurora • Go North for Christmas
Literature: For Everyone, A Book • Film: A World of Cinema • You Auto Know: Stocking Stuffers