SANTA … Santa and Mrs. Claus share a moment with a young visitor during the Lyons Christmas Market at Friendship Hall.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
VENDORS … Shoppers browse handmade goods and specialty items as vendors fill the gymnasium during Saturday’s Christmas Market.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Lyons Christmas Market welcomed residents to Friendship Hall on Saturday, December 6th, offering handmade goods, festive activities, and family friendly fun from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Now in its third year, the event continues to grow as a winter counterpart to the village’s farmer’s market.
More than twenty vendors filled the gymnasium with locally made products, from crafts to specialty items. Co-Host Lindsay Daniels said they aim to showcase small businesses that often first appear at the summer market farmers market, giving them another opportunity to connect with the community once the warm season ends.
Families visiting the market enjoyed a variety of activities including Santa, who this year was joined for the first time by Mrs. Claus.
A bake sale and new hot cocoa bar, both operated by the church, helped add to the festive atmosphere, while a food truck offered lunch options for shoppers.
By noon, foot traffic had reached nearly two hundred visitors, with organizers hopeful they would meet or exceed last year’s totals by day’s end.
Lindsay Daniels, owner of Beautifully Dried and co-host of the event with Heather Schimmel of Lyons Christian Church, said the market has continued to grow simply because the community enjoys supporting its local artisans.
“We realized how many businesses we didn’t know about until the farmer’s market started,” Daniels said. “This gives vendors another chance to be seen and supported during the holiday season.”
The market also hosted a donation station benefiting Nightingale’s Harvest, a cancer family pantry that serves the local area.
With strong participation and returning vendors, organizers said they look forward to seeing the event continue to expand as a holiday tradition in Lyons.