WHEN: Wednesday, November 8 – Sunday, November 12, 2023
WHERE: NRG Center
DETAILS: Another shopping success! Nearly 92,400 cheerful shoppers (up from 88,000 last year) traveled to NRG Center for the 43rd annual Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market, featuring more than 270 merchants from across the nation. With merchandise sales exceeding $20 million, this year’s Market raised more than $5.1 million for Houston Ballet. Longtime Houston Ballet supporter Katrina Arnim chaired this year’s event.
The much-loved and always-anticipated four-day holiday shopping extravaganza kicked off on Wednesday, November 8, with the Wells Fargo Preview Party. The following day, the Market officially opened its doors for its Thursday, November 9 to Sunday, November 12 run. With holiday music in the air, twinkling lights, and glittering decorations, Nutcracker Market set the stage for kicking off the holiday season in Houston! Lining up early to be first through the doors, shoppers embodied the seasonal spirit with colorful, festive-themed outfits as they browsed the booths, discovering enviable apparel and accessories, gourmet food and treats, toys, one-of-a-kind gifts, and home and holiday décor.
The carefully curated selection of merchants included 30 first-time shops, including: Austin-based Stump and Roots, offering recycled glass and sustainably sourced driftwood interior décor; no-blender-needed frozen holiday cocktail mixes by d’marie; Frio Coolers’ colorful coolers, speaker cups, drinkware, and apparel; coordinating pup and pet parent pajamas from Fit Frenchie, handmade ceramic cactus trees and DIY ornament kits from Brush Strokes Pottery; and more. This list also included Qué Bonito Mexican Fashion, Africa On My Back, and Sinless Treats – booths selected for a small business diversity pilot program between the Market and longtime supporter Wells Fargo. Shoppers swarmed Market-favorites including Manready Mercantile, The Crooked Antler, The Round Top Collection, Paris Texas Apparel Co., The Royal Standard, Gourmet Apples & More, Inc., Willow Hill Soap Company, and many other big-names.
The Market held three special events: the Wells Fargo Preview Party, the Saks Fifth Avenue Fashion Show and Luncheon, and the Macy’s Fashion Show and Luncheon. Wells Fargo Preview Party and the Saks Fifth Avenue Fashion Show and Luncheon both claim record-breaking funds raised. Eleven percent of merchandise sales and all proceeds from ticket sales directly benefit the Houston Ballet.
Since its inception in 1981, Nutcracker Market has raised more than $90.5 million for the Houston Ballet.
CREDIT: David Ortiz