Guide: One of Kind Winter Show ~ 2018

One of my favourite shopping ‘events’ of the year is just days away. The winter edition of the One of a Kind Show runs from November 22nd to December 2nd at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place in Toronto. This show and sale is my idea of the perfect day of shopping some of the very best in handmade goods that Canadian Artisans have to offer. The mammoth hall in the Enercare Center is sectioned off into ‘neighbourhoods’ for easy shopping. The Fashion District features Canadian designers showcasing their best fashions of the season. The Flavours District (especially incredible at the Winter show) featuring gourmet artisans from across the country is sure to entice you in to serving some new flavours this holiday season. And my favourite neighbourhood, Rising Stars features artisans and makers new to the show. With so much to see and shop in one day, the show can often be rather intimidating for the virgin ‘One of a Kind’ attendee. With that in mind, I’ve put together a easy peasy, step by step guide to make your visit to the show seamless and completely enjoyable.

If at all possible, drive to the show. While I support taking public transit, your day at the show can be long and you’ll likely be loaded down with bags at the end of this day. So it’s nice to just pop into your warm car after a day on your feet. The underground garage at the Enercare Centre costs $15 for the day. Split with a friend (see my next point) and it’s totally worth it. If you would like to take transit, consider attending on Wednesday November 28th when you can use your Metropass or Presto card for 50% off regular adult admission.
Allocate a full day at the show (4-6 hours) - there’s a lot of square footage to cover and roughly 800 vendors to visit at the winter show. Give yourself enough time that you won’t feel rushed.
Attend the show alone or with a trusted friend. If you’re alone you can work through it at your own pace. If you’re lucky enough (like me) to have a friend who shares your show ideals - mine are browse, coffee, browse, lunch, browse, then feel free to bring them along to bounce ideas off of. My girlfriend and I make an awesome day of it. I believe this show will be our third together and we’re really looking forward to our ‘girls shopping day.’
Bring your own reusable shopping bags. If you’re planning on doing a lot of shopping for the holidays, it’s easier to carry around one or two large reusable bags instead of several tiny ones provided by the artisans. I did this last year and it made my experience so much more enjoyable. Also consider a ‘half way through’ trip to your car to drop off bags. :)
As mentioned above, have a plan for your day. My gf and I find that browse, coffee, browse, lunch, browse system works very well for us. Consider bringing your own lunch (although that is one more thing to carry until you eat) or the show offers several yummy (some even healthy) options. Seating comes at a premium - so be prepared to wait (just a little) for a spot. One of my faves for lunch is Rosti with smoked salmon…lot’s of sour cream on the side. Yum.
Speak with the Artisans. This is one of my favourite parts of show…meeting all the awesome makers and hearing the stories behind the items they create. One of my faves is Heather Bolt at Dotty Dress Studio. This amazing Mompreneur truly puts love into every gorgeous item she creates. Last year I also loved chatting with Leann Rhem from Gold and Ginger Studio. They make amazing apparel and stationary from they own digitally printed and designed textiles. They’re fab pouches keep my purse super organized.
Above all…go and have fun - after all, that’s what shopping is meant to be. At least it is in my books.

Some of the gorgeous handmade goods you’ll see at this years show: