Janiece Montes, left, owner of Exeter-based Janiece’s Purse Collection LLC, talks with a customer during Diamond City Partnership’s Holiday Market on Saturday at Midtown Village in Wilkes-Barre.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
Holiday Market, related events generate cheer, foot traffic in WB
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Santa greets Kristina and Kacie Bielawa of Nanticoke at the Holiday Market on Saturday at Midtown Village in Wilkes-Barre. Don’t tell the kids, but Santa also goes by Ralph Broadie.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
Bob and Patty Blazaskie from Chase talk with a vendor at Midtown Village on Saturday.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
Sharon Logan of Plains, dressed as an angel, participates in Moving River Ministry’s live Nativity on Public Square Saturday afternoon.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
Members of Moving River Ministry portray the Holy Family during Saturday’s live Nativity.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
In silent reverence the crowds watched as a babe was swaddled in a manger.
Except it wasn’t Bethlehem, but downtown Wilkes-Barre where the story of Jesus’ birth was re-told on Saturday, and the crowds who came to watch held cellphones aloft to record the timeless scene.
The live nativity on Public Square, organized by Moving River Ministries, was one of several Christmas events held in center city as the holiday shopping season gets underway, with Small Business Saturday a key focus.
At Midtown Village nearby, the Diamond City Partnership’s Holiday Market brought together over a dozen vendors who offered a range of goods to buyers who browsed their wares on this bright November afternoon.
“Everything has been going really well. I’m very excited to be here,” said Janiece Montes, owner of Exeter-based Janiece’s Purse Collection LLC, who brought a selection of stylish bags to offer. “The traffic has been great.”
Montes, whose sales are largely online, said the event offered her an opportunity to meet customers in person.
“To be able to market our brand amongst the community is very, very important,” Montes said. For those who are interested, Montes does have a physical location at 1089 Wyoming Ave. in Exeter.
DCP Executive Director Larry Newman said he was receiving similarly good feedback from many of the vendors.
The purpose of Saturday’s event was multi-fold: To give small businesses a venue to sell, and to bring shoppers into downtown Wilkes-Barre to visit the market and also to shop and eat at the range of stores and restaurants.
As the region recovers from the pandemic, that’s vital to center city and its businesses, he added.
“We did this because we know the people want it and would enjoy it,” Newman said. “But we also did it because downtown needs it.”
Times Leader Media Group was a sponsor of the event.
Mayor George Brown also was on hand, greeting guests and enjoying the sunny day.
“This is wonderful,” Brown said at Midtown Village as he had just walked over from the live nativity scene. “It’s wonderful to see people out, shopping, spreading the merriment. It’s a win-win for us, getting people out downtown.”
Indeed, the event drew visitors and shoppers from around the region, not just the city.
Bob and Patty Blazaskie from Chase were toting a bag of items from their visits to vendors.
“We just thought this would be fun to do,” Bob Blazaskie said.
“We were on our way down from lunch and had lunch at Sabatini’s and decided to come down because we knew it was going on,” Patty Blazaskie added.
In addition to the vendors, events included pictures with Santa, performances of The Nutcracker by the Dance Theater of Wilkes-Barre, strolling carrollers, a Happy Hour with the Susquehanna Brewing Co., live music from the Indigo Brass Band, and more.
For those who didn’t have a chance to catch the live nativity scene, Moving River Ministries will present it again from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 17 and 18 at 465 South Main St., Wilkes-Barre.
