Downtown Hattiesburg will bring the Christmas holiday shopping season on Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 28, when the Pine Belt Holiday Expo & Christmas Market opens at 10 a.m. at the Historic Train Depot in Downtown Hattiesburg.
The Expo will have Christmas gifts to sell for everyone at the 308 Newman St. site, and the facilities will be available with safety in mind during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Holiday Expo is an opportunity for people to come out and shop and feel safe.
Andrea Saffle, executive director of the Hattiesburg Downtown Association, said the Pine Belt Holiday Expo provides shoppers the opportunity to go to the Expo in a comfortable way.
“The Holiday Expo is an opportunity for people to come out and shop and feel safe,” she said. “All of the events that we’re doing in Downtown Hattiesburg are to get everyone out and lure them downtown. Our campaign is for them to be socially distant and masks are required. We’re following home safety guidelines for compliance.
“We want to keep people safe,” she continued. “And it’s a big deal, too.”
Jennifer Clark of Emerge Events is coordinating the booths and said vendors and artists are bringing many handmade and artisan products.
“There are a lot of things at the Expo this year,” she said. “It’s everything from handmade to Christmas gifts for everyone and even a gift for yourself.”
Even Santa likes to get into the action at the Pine Belt Holiday Expo!
Vendors and artists at the Pine Belt Holiday Expo are expected to include items such as gifts for women and men, art, home décor, jewelry, clothing, toys, handmade items, candles, books, kitchen items, stocking stuffers, specialty foods, gifts for pets, and other items. Other holiday products or services are holiday fashion, interior design, holiday décor, catering, and specialty foods.
Saffle said the Holiday Expo is promoting local artists and vendors.
“We’re giving them the opportunity,” she said. “It’s reminding people to shop local and to support your local businesses as well as your local artists. They have made something that’s a little more heartfelt.
“Now, a lot of our downtown businesses do carry local handmade things and locally sourced products,” she continued. “This is absolutely a place where other people who don’t have a brick-and-mortar store have an opportunity to sell.”
Clark said the health safety of the customers and vendors will limit the amount of space because of safe distancing.
“They haven’t had the opportunity to use this area earlier, but now everyone is going to be ordering for Christmas,” she said. “Without this, a lot of people may go online to shop. When we are able to put these smaller businesses in front of people, the better off they will be.”
Saffle said Downtown Hattiesburg has not been able to have outdoor celebrations during the pandemic, but the Holiday Expo is available at the Railroad Station.
“We’ve not had Artwalk,” she said. “We’ve not had a lot of opportunity for our local artists and crafters, and those type of people to have a place to be able to sell throughout the year. So we’re excited that the whole Expo is that opportunity for local artisans to have a place in the marketplace to sell their stuff for the holidays.
Making the Expo a safe place to shop is a priority, Saffle said.
“We’re trying to be really mindful that people have different levels of comfort right now,” she said. “That’s really, really important that we make sure that we talk about that. We’re mindful of that.”
In keeping with the safety requirements, booths will be spaced out to allow for safe distancing. City mandates include wearing masks by vendors and attendees, both inside the venue and outside the Railroad Depot and during setup/takedown. The event will provide hand sanitizer throughout the event. Booths will be limited to two attendants per booth space.
Vendors and artists at the Pine Belt Holiday Expo are expected to include items such as gifts for women and men, art, home décor, jewelry, clothing, toys, handmade items, candles, books, kitchen items, stocking stuffers, specialty foods, gifts for pets, and other items.
Saffle said Hattiesburg starts the Christmas shopping early, but the Nov. 28 weekend is usually scheduled for the gift-buying binge.
“We do have our Holiday Open House, which is Nov. 14 – two weeks before that – to kick off our holiday season,” she said. “Typically, that Thanksgiving weekend is the weekend that most people kick off their holiday shopping. So, we’re excited to have it.”
This event will be fun, family-friendly and the perfect place for one-stop Christmas shopping. General admission is free, and most indoor spaces are 10 feet wide by 8 feet deep. Most outdoor spaces are 10-by-10 feet.
Jennifer Clark of Emerge Events is coordinating the vendors’ and artists’ areas. Her contact number for information is 601-270-2756.