Billings Makers Market Draws Local Vendors
Handmade goods from regional artisans were sold at the Billings Public Library on Saturday.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Local Shops
Live Poll
Do you plan to buy from local makers or craft markets this holiday season?
Vendors sold handmade goods at a makers market at the Billings Public Library on Saturday. Several sellers said the event helps them reach customers directly and cover business costs.
Why it matters
Markets give small makers a direct channel to shoppers and a way to build a customer base for private events. For vendors working part-time or from home studios, the sales can fund materials for the next production run.
Shelley Freese, who has painted since 1994, says markets account for more than half of her Dancing Cow Studio business each year. Made Together, a Billings business two and a half months old, used the event to show handmade ornaments and introduce bouquet and flower crown bars, but no sales figures were disclosed.
The players
Shelley Freese
A Miles City artist who has painted since 1994 and runs Dancing Cow Studio, where markets make up most of her yearly business.
Made Together
A Billings-based handmade goods business that is two and a half months old and sells ornaments and bouquet and flower crown bars.
Midnight Oil Engraving and Woodworking
A Powell, Wyoming engraving and woodworking vendor that attended its first out-of-state market at the Billings event.
Shaundel Krumheuer
A pottery studio owner who sells her work at markets while holding a separate full-time job.
The details
Made Together used the market to meet shoppers and establish contacts for weddings, birthday parties, and bridal showers. Midnight Oil Engraving and Woodworking traveled from Powell, Wyoming, for its first out-of-state market and has more markets scheduled for Thanksgiving and a couple of weeks before Christmas. Pottery studio owner Shaundel Krumheuer, who works a separate full-time job, said the market helped cover her next round of clay supplies.
Timeline
Saturday (before November 7, 2026): Makers market held at the Billings Public Library.
Thanksgiving 2026: Midnight Oil Engraving has a scheduled market.
A couple of weeks before Christmas 2026: Midnight Oil Engraving has a scheduled market.
Season Trajectory
Holiday craft-fair season has long been the peak selling window for independent makers, and this Billings market fits that pattern. Vendors describing markets as more than half their yearly business show how dependent small studios are on a few concentrated events.
Shoppers looking for handmade holiday gifts can find ornaments, flower crowns, engraved goods, and pottery from these vendors at upcoming markets. Booking a custom order for a wedding or party with a local maker is a practical option for planning ahead.
The takeaway
Local makers rely heavily on in-person markets, so shopping these events directly supports the small businesses behind them. Checking vendor schedules before the holidays can help you find unique gifts.
What happens next
Midnight Oil Engraving and Woodworking has scheduled markets for Thanksgiving 2026 and a couple of weeks before Christmas 2026.
Further reading
For more local retail coverage, see Local Shops in Billings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KULR-8 Local News.
Live Poll
Do you plan to buy from local makers or craft markets this holiday season?
