Handmade table runners, jewelry and maps made from recycled license plates are among the treasures waiting to be discovered at the Lawrenceville Main Street Winter Arts Market.
The annual event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Nov. 22, but not in its customary location in Weeden Park.
Instead, it will be held on and around the sidewalks of Main Street, with the open field at the Lawrenceville Elementary School on Craven Lane and the parking lot of the Lawrenceville Fire Company on Phillips Avenue providing the anchors.
The rain date is Nov. 29.
Lawrenceville Main Street is moving the event from Weeden Park and spreading it out among various locations to keep the event safe by meeting COVID-19 gathering restrictions, said Kelly Edelstein, the executive director of Lawrenceville Main Street.
Shoppers and vendors must wear facial masks and maintain social distancing.
“In this time of social distancing, we are happy to provide a safe way for the community to gather, shop and visit our wonderful downtown,” Edelstein said. “This year’s market may be a little different, but I am certain the warm spirit of our community will shine through.”
The Winter Arts Market, which is in its third year, is Lawrenceville Main Street’s version of a holiday artisan market, Edelstein said. More than 90 artists and crafters from around Mercer County have signed up to showcase their one-of-a-kind treasures.
There will be assorted food trucks and music, in addition to the artists and crafters.
The Winter Arts Market was created two years ago to celebrate Lawrenceville Main Street’s Sculpture in the Park exhibit in Weeden Park. The exhibit features sculptures created by a group of artists and sculptors from the Grounds for Sculpture’s Artists of the Motor Exhibit Building in Hamilton Township.
While it was initially held to celebrate the ribbon-cutting for the sculpture exhibit, the Winter Arts Market has taken on a life of its own. It has proven to be a popular event, and has expanded from about 36 artists and crafters to nearly 100, Edelstein said.
“The Winter Arts Market helps to create a strong sense of community and a healthy business environment in the Village of Lawrenceville,” she said. “We also use it as a way to raise funs through vendor fees to help us continue our free programs, business support and downtown beautification efforts.”
Lawrenceville Main Street sponsors a free weekly concert in Weeden Park in June, July and August. Concert-goers can purchase refreshments from local chefs who have restaurants in the Village of Lawrenceville.
Lawrenceville Main Street has also sponsored A Night in the Village, a walking tour of the restaurants, and it also has sponsored Restaurant Week with discounted meals for patrons.
“There is nothing better than seeing an entire community engage and enjoy together. Community engagement is at the heart of everything we do here at Lawrenceville Main Street,” Edelstein said.
The nonprofit Lawrenceville Main Street, which is a volunteer-driven organization, was formed in 1996 by residents and The Lawrenceville School, which is a private, co-educational boarding school, to encourage the revitalization of Main Street.