Crafty Christmas: Traditional and new holiday bazaars offer opportunity to shop local, support neighbors

GREENFIELD – It’s beginning to look a lot like the Christmas shopping season, and several local bazaars feature crafts, homemade foods and artisan items to shop local and support neighbors.

Here’s a look at three upcoming holiday events, and how local organizers hope they can spread kindness and cheer in the community.

Country Vintage Market

A longstanding tradition at the Hancock County Fairgrounds has grown in popularity in the last two years as more people are crafting from home and supporting the “shop local” idea.

The Country Vintage Market runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 5. Hosted by Hancock County Extension Homemakers, the event raises money for local community programs and a pie sale even brings a Christmas blessing to a local family in need. In fact, there are several mini-fundraisers planned within the event, said Vickie Ramsey, as Homemakers strive to “cultivate kindness” in Hancock County.

“We promote shopping local, support our local businesses; for some, this is their livelihood, this is their business and this is how they make their income,” said Ramsey, who co-leads the event annually with sister Margie Clark.

Admission is free; it’s the sale of booth space that raises money for the organization. More than 100 vendors are expected, all selling unique items from sewn clothing to woodworking, baked goods to candles and more. Food trucks will also be on site.

Ramsey, who has been running the show for 20 years, said the tradition goes back even farther than that. Still, the last two to three years have been the biggest: the COVID pandemic had more people working from home and seeking ways to make an income, including creating items for sale, Ramsey said.

And the sale is exciting, as there’s a line of shoppers ready to go before doors even open and roughly 1,200 people attending.

“We’re promoting cultivating kindness just within the extension homemakers organization and that spreads into the Country Vintage Market, people come want to shop local and support vendors,” Ramsey said.

G-CHS Holiday Bazaar

An overwhelming response from vendors in a cheery environment is the theme for a bazaar at Greenfield-Central High School as well.

The 9th annual G-CHS Holiday Bazaar is 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 3, and organizer Michelle Overman said the event raises money for school groups while promoting small businesses.

With more than 100 vendors and only about 15 of them direct sales groups, Overman said the vast majority are all “unique items you’re not going to find anywhere else, and you can have custom-made.”

“It’s just more meaningful when someone gives a gift that is for that person, no one else has this same item, which is pretty cool,” she said.

Overman, a retired teacher, said the event is a fun atmosphere that even includes photos with Santa and theater students dressed as elves.

The majority of money raised from booth sales goes toward Family Career and Community Leaders of America, to help students attend state and national conventions and gain leadership skills. But other student groups are also invited to take part and earn money.

Young entrepreneurs are also encouraged to join in: several booths are by high school students trying to sell their own hand-crafted items.

Food sales will be on site, and Santa will be at the library from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Holiday Village and Market

A brand new event is coming Nov. 27, which not only promotes shopping local but will help get a new business off the ground.

Holiday Village and Market will be noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 27 at the new Taste and See Event Center, 404 S. West St., Greenfield.

Mother-daughter team Karla Howard and Jade Frost plan to turn the former church building into an event center with family entertainment, and the holiday event will help raise money toward renovations.

“It sat empty for a few years so it needs a lot of work, it’s taking longer than we thought,” Frost said. “In the meantime, we’re trying to raise money to remodel it.”

The event features a gingerbread contest, where teams are encouraged to assemble pieces on site from 10 a.m. to noon for voting by attendees of the market.

Keeping with the gingerbread theme, a hand-crafted wooden “gingerbread” house will serve as an entrance into Santa’s room, where families can spend $10 for 10 quick photos with Santa. More than 20 vendors will be on site at the facility with hand-made items and foods.

Admission is $1 per person and those tickets also serve as entrance into drawings for gifts.

Frost hopes the Christmas-themed event serves as an opportunity to get people interested in their new business venture, and the decor and ambiance is memorable.

“I hope they’re surprised because I think from the outside it kind of looks like a rundown church and when they walk in they’ll be shocked at how cool it is,” Frost said. “They’ll be surprised and say, ‘I can’t believe there’s a winter wonderland inside.’ We really want this to be cool and surprising and memorable and fun.”