PURE GOLD VALLEY

Holiday Market wraps up first year at Multiplex: New venue a hit at 24th annual event

With parking pouring into multiple lots, it was easy to see why organizers for the 24th annual Holiday Market were pleased with the turnout.

The event, a much-anticipated annual holiday shopping extravaganza, is sponsored by the Junior League of Montgomery. Stacey Kimmel, chair of this year?s market, said it was a success.

?The vendors are happy, the shoppers are ecstatic and the decorations are fabulous,? Kimmel said.

Christmas themes in non-traditional colors lined the walls and entrances of the market, housed inside the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl. About 120 vendors were experiencing the venue for the first time, as the market had previously been held at such locations as the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center and Garrett Coliseum.

?We are so excited the city has a venue like this,? Kimmel said. ?It?s been wonderful.?

The market was open until 9 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday, and organizers said some shoppers would watch the football game taking place in Cramton Bowl through the Multiplex windows.

Last year?s market drew about 10,000 attendees and raised about $130,000. Kimmel said the hope is to exceed both of those numbers and organizers felt they had likely done so by Saturday afternoon.

One of the shoppers exploring the booths Saturday was Joy Easterling, who came from Millbrook. Easterling said she has been coming to the Holiday Market for about 10 years with her mom; this time she brought her daughter.

?It?s our girl time,? Easterling said.

Though she didn?t want go into specifics about what she bought ? some of the items are Christmas presents ? she said that she and her daughter purchased shirts, jewelry and fudge. Easterling said she enjoyed shopping in the new facility.

?This is the nicest place it?s been in,? she said.

With the Holiday Market wrapping up Saturday, Kimmel said Junior League members are already beginning to plan for next year, which will be a celebration of the event?s 25th year.

View the original article here

This post was written by: Franklin Manuel

Franklin Manuel is a professional blogger, web designer and front end web developer. Follow him on Twitter