Winterfest Market provides holiday shopping in a festive environment Dec. 12 at Wagner Park in west Dearborn.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Winterfest Market, sponsored by the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority, provided a festive holiday shopping experience with local vendors Dec. 12 in Wagner Park.
Vendors were sheltered in a large tent, which protected them from the midday rain, while ice sculpting and reindeer were nearby, outside the tent.
Santa was on hand for breakfast, which was sponsored by Modern Greek and Salad Bar, and Santa stayed until noon for socially distanced photos.
Jean Smith, event manager for both the East and West Dearborn downtown development authorities, said the rain didn’t discourage visitors from heading to Winterfest Market.
“Dearborn is such an incredible community, and they have come out, rain or shine, today, and it has rained, let me tell you,” she said. “But we have had well over 600 people come out today.”
Smith said they had a great turnout for their breakfast with Santa, and shoppers came out in nice numbers.
“It has been a steady flow of people,” she said.
Smith said the ice sculpting team from Henry Ford College was at Winterfest, doing live demonstrations for visitors.
“I don’t know how long they are going to last, with this 50-degree weather, but they’re here today,” she said.
Santa’s reindeer visited for a few hours, Smith said, which was more socially distant than face-painting and bouncy houses, which they have provided in pre-pandemic times.
“We were very thankful that we could still have what we did, and we were still able to move forward with the event,” she said.
Smith said 22 vendors were on hand to encourage customers to shop local and support independent business owners.
“As the event manager, my biggest concern is bringing wonderful events to the community, and hoping that my vendors will do well,” she said. “They work so hard to get here, and to set up, and when the Dearborn community comes out and supports them by shopping at our events, it’s such a wonderful feeling.”
Vendor Vicki Moser of Saline said there had been a steady stream of customers at Winterfest. Among her offerings were handmade facemasks, which she said she has been making since April.
“I was the first one in town that had them for people,” she said. “I have done over a thousand.”
Moser said she will be glad when masks are no longer needed, and she can go back to spending more time as a hairdresser.
She said she wasn’t sure if customers would come out, but they did, and people all wore their masks.
Vendor Louise Podges of Dearborn said that during the final hour of Winterfest, she was sold out of everything except some of her homemade jams.
She said it was nice for people to have a way to get out during the pandemic in a safe, socially distanced way.
“Thanks be to God for the tent and all the precautions,” Podges said.
Vendor Cinnamon Washington of Southgate, and her daughter Asia, 15, who were selling the doll clothes Asia designs and makes, said it was nice to see families out and enjoying themselves, especially during a pandemic.
“They are not letting it get to them, and they are enjoying the season, regardless,” Cinnamon Washington said.
Asia Washington, whose doll clothes line is allowing her to save money for college, said she enjoys seeing the little girls check out her doll outfits.
Nearby, musician A.J. Lynn of Redford Township was getting ready to perform a set of live music with guitarist Paul Moore of Dearborn.
She said it was great to be able to perform live for people who have gone without the pleasure during the pandemic.
“It is so amazing,” Lynn said. “This is my one opportunity to work this month, and this has been so awesome, especially to be able to see the children.”
She said she loves being able to perform a combination of Christmas music and other songs for Winterfest attendees.
“I love seeing the kids dancing and having so much fun here,” Lynn said. “Just seeing people having fun is amazing.”
Moore said it had been a while since he had performed live for people, and it felt good to have an audience again.
“I miss it,” he said.
For more information about Winterfest Market sponsors, as well as the East and West Dearborn DDA and its events, go to facebook.com/DowntownDearborn or downtowndearborn.org.