New Christmas craft show menu, venue and vendors
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Charting a course to a new venue has not been entirely smooth sailing for Country Christmas Craft Show organizers.
But with their destination clearly on the map, the focus has now become getting the word out prior to the event, so as to encourage new and returning passengers aboard.
“Exactly,” said CCCS coordinator Suzanne Fleet. “We’re trying to get the word out where it is and that it is happening.”
The 29th Annual Country Christmas Craft Show will be part of a chronologically-expanded Tillsonburg Country Christmas Festival, co-chaired by Fleet and Colleen Pepper, bringing a host of seasonal events under one broader umbrella. Twenty different TCCF events kick off Friday, November 15 with the popular Seniors Centre Singes Christmas Concert, concluding December 30 with the second of two Greater Gifts Christmas Concerts inside Theatre Tillsonburg.
The Country Christmas Craft Show, historically the festival’s anchor event, is scheduled for Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Glendale High School under the mantra ‘new venue, menu and vendors.’
“It’s the only location in town that is big enough to put enough vendors in,” said Fleet.
There will not be room for the 130-150 vendor smorgasbord welcomed into the former Tillsonburg Special Event Centre, but by fully utilizing the school’s original gym and cafeteria and the hallways on the main floor, Glendale has room for roughly 110 booths, and around 90 unique vendors, given some have booked double-wide space.
Many of the vendors will be new to the CCCS says Fleet, due to the fact a number of previous participants were not in favour of the venue shift.
“Most of the old ones, no, and that’s why they’re not coming back,” said Fleet. “They were afraid they wouldn’t be seen, so we have more new vendors than old vendors.
“And even our returning vendors are bringing some new creations.”
The list of new vendors includes a pewter artist from the Muskokas, a jewelry maker from Toronto and a chocolatier who creates tasty treats by hand.
“That appeals to everyone’s sweet tooth,” said Fleet.
The fact Glendale’s cafeteria does not produce fried food for students is encouraging the ‘new menu,’ portion of the equation. As a result, patrons will be able to sample soup, sandwiches and wraps to go along with baked hamburgers and cheeseburgers.
“A lighter menu and a fresh approach,” said Fleet.
Entry fee to the CCCS is $5, $4 with a non-perishable item for the Helping Hand Food Bank.
This year’s transition has meant navigating the odd stormy sea, but Fleet is happy to have a destination and date in sight. And having expended considerable effort building upon an old tradition in a new location, she is rather hoping craft show fans will continue to come.
“Exactly,” she concluded. “It’s a matter of getting the word out and getting everyone in the door.”