Holiday market season is officially here. This weekend you can shop handmade gifts inside a Victorian house at Deepwood, browse crafts from around the world at the World Beat Holiday Market and dig through vintage Star Wars figures and Hot Wheels at a free toy expo in South Salem. The feature below has all the details.

Want something louder? Cherry City Roller Derby's Harvest Havoc doubleheader takes over The MadHouse on Saturday afternoon. Bring a new pair of pajamas for the United Way drive and you'll get $5 off your ticket.

It's also a big week for dance. World Ballet Company brings Swan Lake to the Elsinore on Sunday, and a touring Nutcracker with giant puppets and acrobats lands at the Grand on Tuesday.

Salem business owners: Tuesday is the last day to get your Black Friday deal into our Salem Gift Guide. The details are in the ad below.

One ask this week: what's the one holiday market or craft fair you never miss? Hit reply and tell me which one and why.

Jacob

Also, don't miss these opportunities to get connected in Salem:

The WHS Community — our $20/quarter membership for people who want to go deeper: connect with fellow Salemites, swap recommendations, and get the inside scoop on the city.

The December Dinner Club — take a quick quiz, get matched with five Salem folks, and meet for dinner at a spot revealed the morning of. No awkwardness, just good company.

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Three markets open their doors on Saturday, and two of them are free. Make a morning of it: Deepwood and the Willamette Heritage Center are about a mile apart, and the toy expo is a quick drive down Commercial Street.

Vendors fill the rooms of Deepwood's Queen Anne Victorian with wreaths, pottery, jams, candles, vintage pieces, chocolates and handmade cards, and part of every sale helps care for the house. Want first pick? The Friday, Nov. 13 Preview Night has hour-long time slots from 5 to 7 p.m. with nibbles and hot drinks for $7.

Salem Multicultural Institute's market brings handmade goods from artisans around the world, plus a look at how different cultures celebrate the holidays. Veterans and Oregon Trail and OHP cardholders get in free with their card.

Action figures, Hot Wheels, LEGO, Barbies, Funko, comics, retro games, Star Wars and Transformers, all under one roof. Come for the gift shopping, stay to find the exact toy you had in 1987. Parking is free, too.

The big one returns next Friday, and this year it adds an ice-skating rink inside a winter tent (separate ticket, ages 3 and up). Check the calendar before you go, since it's only open on select nights.

Willamette's theatre department closes out its run of the Tony-winning rock musical about teenagers pushing back against the adults around them in 1891 Germany. This one is for grown-ups: the show deals with suicide, assault and sexual themes and has explicit language.

Cherry City Roller Derby puts its junior skaters and an adult bout on one bill, with food and drinks on site. Bring a new pair of pajamas for the United Way pajama drive and take $5 off your entry.

Five seafood courses, each paired with one of the estate's white wines, about 20 minutes west of downtown. A splurge, but a good one for a date night or a visiting relative.

About 50 dancers and more than 150 hand-sewn costumes take on Tchaikovsky's classic, including the Dance of the Little Swans and the Black Swan's 32 fouettés. It runs about two and a half hours with an intermission and is recommended for ages 5 and up.

An hour of yoga in the West Salem winery's event space, with wine and beer for sale before and after. Bring your own mat and register ahead online.

Western Oregon University's theatre department stages the musical from the team behind Spring Awakening, where a teenager escapes into Wonderland during the London Blitz. Spring Awakening closes Sunday, so you could catch both this weekend and compare.

A touring Nutcracker with international dancers, acrobatics and giant puppets. It's all ages, so it's an easy first ballet for the kids.

The nine-member a cappella group brings its holiday tour to the Elsinore, with songs from its holiday albums. Consider it the official start of your Christmas music season.

A monthly coffee and conversation for veterans and the people who support them, held right next to a B-17 bomber being restored. Check the website before you go to confirm this month's date.

A bilingual drop-in morning with nature crafts, a story corner and a look at traditional foods and tools, plus a chance to try some Chinuk Wawa words. It's about 15 minutes south of Salem and great for little kids.

Seafood and chicken paella, a glass of wine and fingerstyle guitar at a South Salem winery. A cozy way to end the week.

Same time, every week. Pick one and make it your thing.

Wed | Bricked Up Comedy open mic | 8 p.m. | Venture Hall, 501 Marion St NE

Wed & Fri | Library storytimes | Preschool 10:15 a.m., Infant/Toddler 11 a.m., plus Spanish storytime Wed, Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. | Salem Public Library | Free

Thu | TriviaNaught Trivia | 6:30 p.m. | Venture Hall, 501 Marion St NE

Thu | The Underground Mic | Sign-ups 6:30 p.m., mic 7 p.m. | Venti's Cafe, 325 Court St NE | Free

Fri | Chemeketa Planetarium | 7:30 p.m. | 4000 Lancaster Dr NE, Bldg. 2 | $5, kids $4, cash or check only

Sat | Indoor Winter Market at Wavra Farms | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | 7882 Jordan St SE | Free

Sat | Silverton Winter Farmers Market | Saturday mornings | Immanuel Lutheran Church, 303 N Church St, Silverton | Free

Any week | Volunteer at Marion-Polk Food Share | Book a repack shift ahead

Through Nov. 20 | What Remains: Death Traditions Around the World | World Beat Gallery, 390 Liberty St SE | Free

Through Nov. 21 | What Do We Hold? A Community Conversation | Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St | Last week to see it

Through Nov. 27 | Before the Water Rose: Celilo Falls, 1956 | Stefani Art Gallery, 305 Court St NE | Free

Through Dec. 23 | Comic Arts & Manga Exhibition | Bush Barn Art Center Annex, 600 Mission St SE | Free

Sat, Nov. 21 | Empty Bowls | Willamette Art Center, 3995 Fairview Industrial Dr SE | Benefits Marion-Polk Food Share

Thu, Nov. 26 | Keizer Turkey Dash | 10K 8:45 a.m., 5K 9:05 a.m. | Lowe's at Keizer Station, 6225 Ulali Dr NE | 5K $30, 10K $35, kids free

Fri, Nov. 27–Mon, Nov. 30 | Magic at the Mill | From 5:30 p.m. | Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE

Sun, Nov. 29 | Home Free: Coming Home for the Holidays | 7:30 p.m. | Elsinore Theatre

Sat, Dec. 5 | The Slocan Ramblers | 7:30 p.m. | Rice Auditorium, Western Oregon University, Monmouth

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Thanks for keeping up with Salem this week!

Spotted something interesting in town? Drop us a note at [email protected]. We love hearing from you.

See you next Thursday,

Jacob