Muse of Holiday Masquerade

Maker Union’s second‑annual holiday market, slated for Friday, Dec. 5, 4‑8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., will unfold in the Prospector workshop at Suite 104, 1912 Sidewinder Drive. Anne Peters, founder and executive director, promises an almost entirely refreshed vendor lineup that should look less like a charity bazaar and more like a curated high‑society corner of the Wasatch Back. The press release boasts a single‑digit $25 participation fee and a waiver, suggesting an attempt to democratize a scene usually gated by high booth rents. Yet the word “mingle” in Peters’ quotation reads like a polite disclaimer that the event will be permeated by the same slot‑tiered, well‑attended crowds that swarm Sundance, complete with dystopic holiday music and a faux Christmas tree that only pretends to be genuine. The expected guest list is a mirror of last year’s: local artisans, a handful of workers from Maker Union, and a roll‑call of Park City philanthropists, none of whom display the star‑glow that makes the arts scene exciting. Verdict: Send a check but stay home.