It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially at the Adair County Extension Office! On Saturday, November 23rd our office will be turned into a gingerbread castle for the Holiday Bazaar. In this special mailing, we have included up-to-date information for the Bazaar. The theme for this year’s bazaar is Gingerbread, vendors are encouraged, but not required, to decorate with gingerbread. Included in this mailing is a vendor application and all you need to know to prepare for this special event.

The Holiday Bazaar will be our usual day, the Saturday before Thanksgiving but with a new time. The Bazaar will be held from 10 AM - 4 PM CST. This change was made to better serve our customers. Our coffee bar is back again this year, brewing your favorite holiday coffees. Santa has double checked his calendar for the Bazaar, and plans to make a brief appearance for pictures. He is very busy this time of year, be ready with your cameras.

Vendor applications are currently available and due by November 18th at 4:30 PM CST. The cost to setup at the Bazaar is $15 for Homemaker members. However, new this year is the ability for non-members to setup, which will be $30. Alternatively, non-members can join Homemakers for $12 + $15 setup fee for $27 total. Joining homemakers will save vendors $3 and is encouraged.

The biggest feedback the Homemakers received from last year’s Bazaar is the need for vendors to have more table space. This year, vendors can request additional tables for $15 per table. Vendors who setup will be provided with one table (72x30 inches) and two chairs by default. Vendors are asked not to bring additional tables, racks, or other equipment that will block other vendors, doors, or exits. To note, the more vendors who request additional tables the less vendors total we will be able to accept due to the limited space of our facility.

To accommodate more vendors and tables this year, we will also be utilizing our smaller community room. This room is down the hall, but signage will be provided to encourage customers to visit the community room. The last five vendors to sign up will be placed in the community room. All vendors will be assigned tables this year.

Vendors are no longer asked to provide a door prize. Instead, the Homemakers will be sponsoring gift cards to be used at the Bazaar as door prizes. Customers can redeem the gift card at the coffee bar, or participating vendors. The vendor can then turn the gift card in to the homemakers to be reimbursed for the value of the gift card. The Homemakers will give away 10, $5 gift cards throughout the Bazaar. They are only valid at the Bazaar.

The Bazaar Committee would like to kindly ask our homemaker clubs to bake extra cakes, pies, etc this year. Baked items are always popular leading into the holidays. Mailbox club members who would like to donate to the coffee bar individual pastries to sell along side the coffee would be appreciated. Money made from the coffee bar goes back into the County Homemaker general account.

There is a more detailed flyer for these opportunities included in this mailing. However, always feel free to give me a call at (270) 384-2317 with any questions.

Until then, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.