Winter Market Brings Holiday Spirit

By CHELSEA FULLER

The Winter Market, held by the University of Mary Washington’s German Club, brought a refreshingly high turnout to Ball Circle.

Wednesday, Nov. 14 marked the second annual Winter Market, boasting local and school organized groups, hot cocoa and holiday music. The event ran from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., a longer time frame than most Ball Circle events, and lured a student and faculty turnout of about 200 people. The large outcome was evident from start to finish, with a few students straggling even after 8 p.m.
German Club chair Charlotte Johnson, a junior and international affairs major, estimated the total turn out to be around 250 people with around 30 group and vendor tables.
“This is our second Winter Market, and we’re hoping for another great event,” Johnson said.
And a great event it was, reminiscent of New Yorker City’s holiday Pop-up shops. With Christmas just around the corner, gift shopping is what seemed to be on most of the visitors’ minds.
With Christmas music flowing in the crisp, evening air and white tents lined up across Ball Circle, Winter Market managed to grab student, faculty and local attention.
Sophomore and political science major Ciara Peacock felt the holiday season quickly sneaking up.
“I like the idea of getting people into the holiday mood on campus and having local businesses share their wares on Ball,” Peacock said.
Getting into the holiday spirit is exactly what attendants did through local Fredericksburg Co-ops, student organizations and everything from vintage clothes to homemade candles.
One local vendor table in attendance was “E3 Kids International,” which sold handcrafted jewelry and dishware. Program director Joellen Lesher stated her excitement about participating in Winter Market for the first time.
“[This] is a great way to get our mission out there, and possibly some potential interns,” Lesher said.
Local vendors were the minority at this year’s Winter Market. Instead, student organizations ranging from Race for a Cure to Esfuerzo de Amor dominated the market.
With the winter season moving in and the holiday spirit in abundance, the Winter Market was a true success. Through lines of Christmas lights, hot cider and a one-stop shop for original gifts, the German Club enticed students and faculty alike to a night of holiday fun.