Book a memorable, fun experience for groups of almost any size!
Each workshop is guided by a friendly and experienced team of potters. After making your pieces, you’ll select from our many beautiful glazes. We finish and fire your creations in about 4-5 weeks – they will be microwave and dishwasher safe! Our downtown location puts us close to many dining choices to make a day of it.
Our minimum age for workshops is 12.
4-8 Participants
Take a Spin • $110
Pottery wheel class, 2 hours
Enjoy a small group lesson on the pottery wheel with step-by-step instruction. Each person makes 2 pieces in two hours, guaranteed. Course includes the 2-hour guided lesson, use of studio tools and clay, choice of 12 glaze colors, and firing for 2 pieces.
$110 per person
Let’s Roll • $110
Hand-building workshop, 2 hours
Using slabs to create a mug and plate, participants will explore a great assortment of textures to make their own, unique “breakfast set.” Everyone starts with pre-rolled slabs of clay and receives detailed instruction for a relaxing, hand-building workshop. Each person gets to take home two pieces that are microwave and dishwasher safe!
$110 per person
Click any activity for more info. Scroll down for additional details and request a booking!
9-40 Participants
Wheel Package • $99
Pottery wheel class, 2 hours
In one of our most popular workshops, participants make a bowl and a cup on the pottery wheel. Everyone starts with pre-centered clay and receives detailed instruction with lots of hands-on support. Each person gets to take home two functional pots for everyday use! Please note: we have a hard cap of 20 people for this package due to equipment/space limitations.
$99 per person
Mug & Bowl Package • $119
Wheel & hand-building class, 2 hours
Get a taste of both the potter’s wheel and hand-building with slabs and textures. On the wheel, each participant makes a bowl with lots of hands-on support. In our hand-building area, everyone gets to explore stamps, texture mats, and rolling tools to make a unique mug made from slabs of clay.
$119 per person
Potter’s Choice Package • $139
Wheel & hand-building class, 3 hours
Take a leisurely 3 hours out of your day for some creativity! Choose one wheel option and one hand-building option for your whole group:
Wheel
- Bowl and cup – great for everyday use.
- Planter and pitcher – a nice combo for a little plant.
Hand-building
- Sushi set – three nesting dishes for sushi, snacks, etc.
- Breakfast set – a unique mug and square plate, perfect for tea and a pastry.
$139 per person
41-60 Participants
Large Group 2 • $119
Wheel & hand-building class, 2 hours
For large groups, we set up three activity stations – one wheel and two hand-building. Each person will get to choose 2 of the 3 activities when they arrive. Your group divides amongst the stations and rotates through their choices over the course of two hours. In 4-5 weeks, everyone will have 2-4 beautiful pieces to take home!
- Create a bowl on the pottery wheel.
- Hand-build a mug with beautiful textures.
- Make a set of three nesting dishes for sushi, snacks, etc.
$119 per person
Large Group 3 • $139
Wheel & hand-building class, 3 hours
For large groups, we set up three activity stations – one wheel and two hand-building. Your group divides amongst the stations and rotates through all three over the course of three hours. In 4-5 weeks, everyone will have five beautiful pieces to take home!
- Create a bowl on the pottery wheel.
- Hand-build a mug with beautiful textures.
- Make a set of three nesting dishes for sushi, snacks, etc.
$139 per person
for small and large group events!
REFRESHMENTS
For groups of 9 or more, Higher Fire provides light refreshments including water, snack bars, and baked treats. Many visiting groups dine out prior to, or just after their workshop with us. If you prefer, we can set aside a large table for serving snacks or beverages (beer, wine, etc.) that you’d like to bring along. Just let us know!
BOOKING
The best days for booking group events are Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. When you are ready to book, we collect a 25% non-refundable deposit based on your planned headcount. The balance is due on the day of the workshop. Higher Fire charges for the actual number of attendees or 90% of your planned headcount, whichever is higher.
ACCESSIBILITY
Higher Fire welcomes potters of all abilities. Instruction is offered for both right- and left-handed throwing, wheel pedals can be placed for either foot, wheel heights are adjustable, we have a table-top potter’s wheel for hands-only operation, and we have seats of varying heights for hand-building. Our entry is at sidewalk level, making for easy, rolling access. All of our workshops utilize visual aids in addition to the pottery demonstration. We want your entire team’s experience to be creative and fun! Please let us know of any specific access requirements or participation support needed in your workshop with us.
LATE POLICY
We’re thrilled to have your group visit for a workshop! It’s important, however, that participants arrive on time so we can begin within 30 minutes of your scheduled start time, in order to minimize negative impacts on staff & studio scheduling of classes (and cascades of delays for students or other visiting groups). Groups that begin their workshop later than 30 minutes after their start time are charged $50 per 1/2 hour of delay.
PARKING
Higher Fire Dowtown is surrounded by plentiful street parking and is adjacent to several city parking lots. We encourage you to walk, bike, or take public transit to our studio if possible. But for those driving, here are some easy options for parking near our studio and gallery.
ParkSJ Garages
Click here for a list of ParkSJ’s main downtown lots and garages. Rates and availability may vary.
Metered Parking
Plenty of metered street parking is available on South 1st and Market Streets around the studio. Metered spaces allow for up to 3-hours of parking between 9am-6pm on weekdays and Saturdays. Weeknights after 6pm, spaces are free. If there are no meters present, double check for signs that indicate permit-only parking.
Non-Metered Parking on Reed or Balbach Streets
Plenty of non-metered street parking with no time limit is available on Reed Street, east of Market. 2-hour parking on Balbach Street is non-metered, but the 2-hour time limit is enforced.
South First Area (SoFA) lot
Located under Interstate 280 at South First Street. The SoFA lot offers FREE parking weeknights after 6 p.m. and all day Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Flat rate all-day parking Monday-Friday is available for $5. This lot is just a 2-minute walk to our front door.
Some useful links:
• Parking in downtown San Jose – Programs & Info
• Interactive SJ Downtown Parking Map
• Get Downtown via Public Transit
