DIY & Craft Event Ideas to Drive Brick & Mortar Shop Traffic in Every Season

Offering workshops, classes, and other experiential offerings can be an incredible boost for brick & mortar shops, whether it's a boutique, coffee shop, or garden center. And it all starts with event ideas that fit your niche and budget!

In store events drive foot traffic, promote targeted awareness, build community, and can generate a profit. Events can be especially worthwhile during your slow season, when a few more high value sales can make all the difference. 

Many shop owners I've spoken to think hands-on events will be too much work or require knowledge they don't have, but even simple, inexpensive gatherings can have great impact.

Don't let lack of a certain skill hold you back! I guarantee there are talented folks in your community that would love to share their knowledge and it creates a great opportunity for collaboration and cross-exposure.

My Advice: Know Your Objective!

If I could give one piece of advice on hosting events, it's to have a firm grip on your primary objective. If it's to generate a profit, you'll want to approach it differently than if you are focused on exposure to new eyeballs or fostering community amongst your existing customer base.

Below is a list of beginner-friendly workshops and creative shop event ideas for every season and at every price point.

We executed nearly all of these ideas in our nine years in business!

Note: These events are DIY and craft-oriented, and do require table space and seating for your guests. 

Material Cost Key*

$: Free to $5 per person

$$: $6 to $19 per person

$$$: $20 to $45 per person

*Material cost estimates are based on our experience producing these events. Some account for working with an outside instructor.

Depending on your market, you may want to buy higher cost materials or add on incentives like catered meals or more elaborate take-home kits. 

Fall Event Ideas – Cozy & Tactile

1. Spooky or Cozy Art Night ($): Host a themed television, movie, or music night with snacks and drinks. Let people bring their own DIY, and/or offer coloring pages, bracelet beading, embroidery patterns, or paint supplies. We recommend showing Hocus Pocus, When Harry Met Sally, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer! 

2. Friendsgiving Potluck ($): Guests can bring their favorite Thanksgiving-inspired dishes to share with the group.

3. Book-ish or Pumpkin Painting ($): Paint a cute stack of books using watercolors, gouache, or acrylics! Guests can even bring their own titles to use as inspiration.

4. Pumpkin Spice Potluck ($): Throw a potluck centered around everyone's favorite fall flavor. 

5. Pumpkin Carving ($): Have guests bring their own pumpkin while you provide carving tools, stencils, and seasonal snacks.

6. Autumnal Grapevine Wreaths ($$): Guide participants in crafting decorative wreaths using natural elements like dried leaves, pinecones, and berries. The cost for this could increase significantly depending on the types of decor you offer. (e.g., fresh blooms vs foraged dry florals vs artificial)

7. Shibori-Dyed Cotton Dishcloths ($$): Introduce a workshop on the Japanese dyeing technique to create unique napkins.

8. Macrame Hat Holder ($$): Help customers craft macrame hat holders as a stylish home décor piece.

9. Calligraphy ($$): Offer a beginner's workshop in calligraphy using inexpensive materials like faux calligraphy pens and markers.

10. Wine Pairing ($$): Host a wine tasting event where guests can sample different wines and learn about pairing them with popular snacks.

11. Punch Needle Pumpkins ($$): Teach guests how to create unique and textured pumpkins using the trendy punch needle technique.

10.Ceramic Mug Painting ($$): Provide materials for customers to paint their own ceramic mugs.

12. Charcuterie & Cheese Boards ($$$): Host a workshop on how to shop for and create beautiful and delicious boards perfect for end of year festivities.

13.Candle Making ($$$): Teach attendees to create their own scented candles, perfect for the cozy fall season. The cost per person here decreases for future events once you purchase burners and other reusable supplies.

14. Bookbinding ($$$): Offer a class on making personalized journals or notebooks.

15. Knitting ($$$): Host a beginner's knitting class for making scarves or mittens.

Winter Event Ideas – Gifts & Good Intentions

16. Bullet Journaling ($): Have guests bring their own notebook or purchase one in your shop and teach basic layouts, hand lettering, and decorative elements.

17. Winter Wreath Painting ($): Paint a traditional holiday wreath using watercolors, gouache, or acrylics! Offer metallic paints or glitter for ornaments and lights.

18. Holiday Cookie Swap ($): Have guests bring batches of their favorite holiday cookies to exchange with others. 

19. Bookmark Making & Book Exchange ($): Invite guests to make their own bookmarks, using materials from your store. Have a book exchange afterwards to encourage reading and sharing stories.

20. Infused Bath Salts or Bath Bombs ($): Teach attendees how to create their own personalized bath products using natural ingredients and essential oils. Perfect for self-care during the winter months.

21. Holiday Art Night ($): Host a themed television, movie, or music night with snacks and drinks. Let people bring their own DIY, and/or offer coloring pages, ornament beading, embroidery patterns, or paint supplies.

22. Embroidered Ornaments ($): Simple holiday patterns on cotton fabric in a 4" hoop.

23. Sustainable Gift Wrapping ($): Teach attendees how to wrap gifts using sustainable materials such as recycled newspaper, fabric scraps, or reusable gift bags.

24. Clay Ornaments ($$): Creating and painting holiday ornaments with air dry or polymer clay. Offer a variety of shapes, stamps, and paint colors for guests to create their own unique designs.

25. Gingerbread House Decorating ($$): Provide pre-made gingerbread houses and an assortment of candies and icing for guests to decorate their own delicious creations.

26. DIY Snow Globes ($$): Provide mason jars, miniature figurines, glitter, and glycerin for guests to create their own personalized snow globes.

27. Stenciled Wood Sign Painting ($$): Guide participants through the process of creating personalized rustic wood signs for their homes.

28. Modern Wreath Making ($$): Minimalist, modern greenery and ribbon on a simple round metal hoop.

29. Vision Boards ($$): Collect magazines and help attendees set goals for the new year.

30. Traditional Wreath Making ($$$): Lush greenery, berries, and accessories on a classic steel wire wreath frame.

31. Lino Cut Stamped Napkins ($$$): Design and make linocut stamps to create customized napkins.

32. Journal Making ($$$): Teach techniques for binding personalized blank journals.

Spring Event Ideas – Earthy & Floral

33. Galentine's Day Potluck Brunch ($): Organize a brunch event with crafts and games.

34. Macrame Plant Hanger ($): Teach the art of macrame to create beautiful plant hangers.

35. Potted Plant Painting ($): Paint a trio of potted houseplants or cacti using watercolors, gouache, or acrylics! .

36. Introduction to Gardening ($): Set up a workshop to teach basic gardening skills and tips for growing plants in your region.

37. Galentine's Day Art Night ($): Host a themed television, movie, or music night with snacks and drinks. Let people bring their own DIY, and/or offer coloring pages, bracelet beading, embroidery patterns, or paint supplies. We recommend Taylor Swift, Legally Blonde, or Bridgerton!

38. Love Letter Writing ($): Encourage guests to write love letters to their significant others or even themselves. Provide stationary, pens, and prompts for inspiration.

39. Sugar Cookie & Card Decorating ($$): Teach how to decorate cute shaped cookies and provide an assortment of supplies for guests to create their own personalized Valentine's Day cards.

40. Seed Bomb Making ($$): Provide supplies for guests to make seed bombs using soil, seeds, and clay. 

41. Paper Flowers ($$): Teach guests to create their own bouquet of beautiful paper flowers. This is a great activity for those who don't have a green thumb.

42. Floral Monogram Embroidery ($$): Teach three or four simple stitches to embroidery floral patterns in an initial shape on a 6" hoop.

43. Market Floral Bouquets ($$): Provide a step-by-step guide to creating flower home arrangements using easily accessible market flowers.

44. Polymer Clay Earrings ($$): Guide participants in crafting their own earrings from polymer clay. The real cost here is the upfront expense for an oven or two to bake the clay.

45. Natural Dyed Silk Scarves ($$$): Introduce participants to natural dyeing techniques using plants.

46. Ceramic Vase Painting ($$$): Host a session for painting ceramic vases, perfect for spring flowers.

47. Valentine's Day Bento Cake Decorating ($$$): Basic piping and decorating techniques on 6" layer cakes.

48. Mosaic Mother's Day Frames ($$$): Teach attendees how to make mosaic heart decorations.

49. Ceramic Ring Dishes ($$$): Stamp and paint simple ring dishes with clay.

Summer Event Ideas – Fun & Light

50. Camp Art Night ($):Host a summer camp themed night with snacks and drinks. Let people bring their own DIY, and/or offer coloring pages, embroidery patterns, or paint supplies.

51. Culinary Sugar & Salt Infusions ($): Teach attendees how to make their own infused sugars and salts for cocktail rims, summer grilling, garnish, and more. 

52. Introduction to Houseplants ($): Cover topics such as selecting the right plants for different lighting conditions, basic care tips, and how to propagate. Provide a selection of small pots and soil for attendees to repot a plant to take home.  

53. Citrus Painting ($): Paint a variety of citrus fruits using watercolors, gouache, or acrylics!

54. Home Herb Gardens ($$): Teach about different types of culinary and medicinal herbs, how to grow them in their own gardens or indoors, and the various ways to incorporate them into cooking. Provide seeds, pots, and soil for participants to start their own herb garden at home.

55. Reusable Beeswax Wraps ($): Teach how to make reusable beeswax wraps and their use an alternative to plastic wrap.

56. Macrame Wall Hanging ($$): Offer a workshop on creating decorative macrame wall hangings. 

57. Fiber Art Rainbow Wall Hanging ($$): Teach a class on making colorful fiber art pieces.

58. Embroidered Dad Hat ($$): Provide materials and instruction for creating custom embroidered hats. 

59. Open-Air Succulent Terrariums ($$): Offer a hands-on session for making mini succulent terrariums in open glass containers.

60. Lino Cut Tote Bag and Bandana ($$$): Guide participants in designing their own tote bags and bandanas.

61. Charm Necklace or Bracelet Making ($$$): Host a jewelry-making workshop for creating charm necklaces or bracelets.