EASTON, Pa. — Bundle up, grab some cocoa and get ready to explore the winter wonderland in the middle of downtown Easton.
Easton’s Winter Village kicks off its fourth season this Saturday, welcoming dozens of vendors (many of whom have a strong presence in the city) to Center Square, resident for a month, and attracting thousands of visitors. Shoppers flock to the area.
Mayor Sal Panto Jr., Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP) Special Events Director Marcy McKinney, Lehigh Valley Hospital Hecktown Oaks President Joe Pinto, Pennsylvania State Representative Robert Freeman, Easton City Councilman Taiba Sultana, City Council Congressmen-elect Frank Pintaborn and Crystal Rose had a holiday smash on the afternoon of November 18th.
After welcoming the crowd, who braved the crisp air and cold gusts, Mr. Pant gave a brief history of the event, reminding us of when he went to Europe a few years ago and found a Christmas village. Ta.
“Here, we call it Winter Village for a variety of reasons. Rather than draw a line at Easton, we want to draw a circle so that everyone can be inclusive.”
Sal Panto, Mayor of Easton
“Here, we call it Winter Village for a variety of reasons. Rather than draw a line at Easton, we want to draw a circle so that we can be inclusive,” Panto said. said.
In response to retail closures and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Winter Village has provided a workaround that allows local businesses to continue functioning. In Pant’s words, “One retailer called me in 2021 and told me the right thing to do.” Without Winter Village, he would have closed for good. Ta. ”
McKinney heralded “A Labor of Love” as a special spotlight on Easton’s small businesses and special events.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase everything our little city has to offer and we really have so much to offer. There’s so much going on this year, with activities and free events every weekend. “We have a lot of events and ticketed events. The skating rink and the shops are open, so take a walk around town and enjoy the season with the brick-and-mortar stores,” McKinney said.
Shows McKinney mentioned include the Polar Express Experience (also available in a sensory-friendly setting), Breakfast with Santa and photo op with the great man himself, Letter to Santa drop-off at Easton Outdoor Company, and Cinderella. there is. Horse-drawn carriage ride.
One of the biggest features of the village is the skating rink. Free for residents of zip code 18042, $5 for non-residents. Skate rentals are $5 per person and accepted by credit card only.
Musical performances include Christmas Tuba in Center Square, a stroll of carolers and performers in the downtown area, and a parade with Santa and Mayor Panto, including the lighting of the Christmas tree in Scott Park, all scheduled for November 24th It has been.
Freeman said how much he appreciates how Winter Village supports the entire community, brings everyone together and brings attention to our great city.
“As the mayor mentioned, it really helps bring more people back downtown and provides a very festive atmosphere for the holiday season,” Freeman said.
“There are great opportunities here to purchase holiday merchandise and gifts, pick up food and drinks, but also to simply explore downtown and learn what a truly great community this is and how we We can also recognize how lucky we are to all work together on behalf of this community.”
Mr Pant concluded his remarks by thanking GEDP, various local sponsors and politicians who help organize more than 115 special events in the city each year.
This year’s Winter Village vendors include popular makers like Chocodiem, Easton Candle Company, Five Rivers Fabrication, Melmo’s Dog Treats and Sarah Nicole Designs.
Rachel Zanders, owner of Easton Candle Company, has been a regular at Winter Village since its inception and credits the event with helping launch her business.
“This was one of my first events since starting my business full-time, and it gave me a lot of confidence that having a retail space in downtown Easton would also be successful after having success here.” said Zanders, adding that he was looking forward to it. “Peace, fun, and the holiday spirit shown through our customers.”
“If you’re not ready to smell the Christmas tree yet,” Zanders has a number of gift sets and take-home gifts to make your Christmas shopping easier, including a range of autumn-scented He said there are many items.
Bradley Dilts and Miri Steinmetz, who were out for a walk with their dog Lily, said they came to buy candles. Dilts is a self-proclaimed “candle enthusiast.” When Lily smelled something delicious inside her house, she stopped by Melmo’s Dog Treats. .
Lily took one bite of her homemade treat and was in heaven.
“She loves gingerbread, especially gingerbread,” Ms. Dilts and Ms. Steinmetz said.
Melmo’s owner, Melissa Morales, said she was thrilled to be at Winter Village for the first time and enjoyed welcoming so many puppies into the cabin.
“For the past two hours or so, I’ve been inundated with dogs. So we’ve set up this open space here with lots of space for dog consultations,” Morales said. “We have plenty of treats for every dog here. We have wheat-free options, soft options, and even cat treats.”
Master chocolatier and owner of Chocodiem, Jean-Paul “JP” Hepp, invites people in the community to stop by his cabin and enjoy luxurious hot drinks, including an oat milk option for those avoiding dairy products. We were welcomed to enjoy chocolate and check out the artisan meals.
“We have wonderful little gnomes,” Ms. Hepp said. “We have an artist on staff and she draws these gnomes and chocolate bombs. They’re very artistic, and that’s what really sets us apart from others.”
Bangor resident Kyle Snyder said he discovered the event by chance while out to eat and was pleasantly surprised by the festive atmosphere.
“This is an attention grabber for a lot of people. I would say for people who like Christmas themed things, especially Lehigh Valley locals, this is definitely the place to go.” Snyder said.
Easton Winter Village is open from November 18th to December 17th, Fridays from 5pm to 9pm, Saturdays from 1pm to 9pm, Sundays from noon to 5pm, and rainy days. It is held on both sunny and snowy days.