WaterFire Arts Center Holiday ArtMart & Family Maker Studios

About this adventure

Set inside the sprawling, historic 37,000-square-foot WaterFire Arts Center in Providence's Valley neighborhood, the Holiday ArtMart is a dynamic creative festival celebrating local Rhode Island makers and family creativity. The expansive open hall features more than seventy independent regional artisans, fine craftsmen, glassblowers, ceramicists, and printmakers. Families can participate in free drop-in maker workshops where children craft their own embossed holiday cards, build wire-and-bead holiday ornaments, and construct winter mobiles. Interactive glassblowing demonstrations and pottery wheel exhibitions captivate curious minds. Warm up at indoor food truck concessions offering gourmet hot cocoa, Belgian waffles, and seasonal soups while listening to live acoustic holiday music and community youth ensembles. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: Polished concrete floors and zero-threshold roll-in entry make this cavernous facility exceptionally stroller and wagon-friendly. • Nursing & Rest Spots: Generous indoor seating areas with couches, quiet side galleries, and modern ADA-accessible family restrooms with baby-changing tables. • Age Suitability: Engaging for all generations; children love the hands-on art tables while parents and teens explore the craft stalls. • Sensory Tips: Spacious high-ceilinged venue prevents claustrophobia; midday lighting is bright and cheerful, with quiet seating alcoves along the perimeter.