HAZLETON, Pa. — Chocolate covered goodies, homemade candy, and other sweets are typically sold at craft shows by Denise Perry.
Perry's even got new and trendy hot cocoa bombs, but with many of her biggest events canceled this fall, times have been tough for her business Sweets By Denise.
However, she was able to set up her display of treats and make some sales in City View Park for the first-ever Winterfest.
"Very Exciting, very in the Christmas spirit. Preparing for this, I listened to Christmas music, I watched Hallmark Channel movies, and I make my candy, and that makes it all worth it," said Perry.
The city's mayor decided to throw Winterfest, an outdoor vendor show with music, food trucks, and a roaring bonfire.
"The total size of the park is 22 acres, so I think we're able to be spaced out pretty well," explained Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat. "We're requiring, so I think we're being pretty safe and following the guidelines."
The goal was to give entrepreneurs, hit hard by the pandemic, a chance to make some cash ahead of the holidays and before it gets too cold to be outside.
Patrons began to arrive as soon as the event started at noon.
Michele Orefice, a DoTerra sales representative, says selling her essential oils has been easy online, and she's glad to be able to promote her business face to face.
"It's more personal. You make that personal connection. They see they're dealing with somebody local, not just a company, and that it is somebody that actually does care about them," Orefice explained.
Fifty Christmas trees were planted in the park, and members of the community were invited to decorate one at a cost of $25.
That money will be taken and put toward planting more trees next year in hopes of growing Winterfest bigger and better.
"We've thought about having an outdoor Christmas event for many years. We just never had the right opportunity. We are expecting it to be an annual thing and grow every year," Mayor Cusat added.
