Marissa Betz organized a craft and vendor show on Shop Small Saturday in 2021, and the 30 spots available were taken in about five weeks.
She didn’t start planning for Jingle Ball 2021 until mid-October, but she had great response and said it turned out really well.
She knew she wanted to do a show again this year. She, however, changed the name to Seymour Christmas Festival: Craft and Vendor Show and started planning Aug. 1.
The result? Her more than 30 vendor spots were booked in three weeks.
The show is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 26 at Girls Inc. of Jackson County, 956 N. O’Brien St., Seymour.
Along with the vendors, there will be two food trucks, two storytime sessions, face painting, balloon animals and an appearance by Santa Claus.
Betz said 90% of the vendors will be selling homemade items, including sublimation T-shirts and cups, scrunchies, wood burning products, crafts, magnets, Christmas ornaments, baked goods and more.
“I do have some rather unique booths,” she said. “A lot of the vendors are putting a focus on Christmas-themed items, so there will be a lot of opportunity to buy Christmas-themed items and to focus on Christmas shopping.”
Three direct sales vendors representing Paparazzi, Mary Kay and Touchstone will be there, too.
Last year, Betz had her own booth and led the storytime. This year, she reached out to people in the community to handle the storytime and added a second session. Megan Fleetwood will read at 10 a.m., and Jenna Martinez will read at 11 a.m.
Santa will be there from 10 a.m. to noon, while face painting, Christmas balloon animals and food trucks Sno Biz and Spud Bank will be there for the duration of the event.
In 2020, Betz had an opportunity to take over a vendor show in Seymour when the organizer became ill, and she said she liked helping with that. She then knew she wanted to do a Christmastime show of her own, so that’s how Jingle Ball came about last year.
“At that time, I was going through postpartum really bad, so this was my way to channel all of the energy into creating something better,” she said.
“I really liked the idea of community engagement and involvement, especially for the kids,” she said. “The kids are on Christmas break, and I have my own kid. I know what it’s like to be cooped up in the house with a little one, so if the parents can bring the kids out, let them listen to the stories, get their face painted, eat, whatever, that’s great. That’s what I want.”
The first show featured a lot of community engagement, Betz said.
“We had a really good time,” she said. “I always be sure to talk to my vendors afterwards, like ‘Hey, how did it go?’ I had a lot of people who were first-time vendors. They had never been to any show, and they were like, ‘Yeah, I would love to come back.’”
She had such a good response this year that she had to create a waiting list.
Again this year, the vendor fees she collects will be given back to Girls Inc.
“This time last year, I was a coach for STEPS (Dance Center) and they let us use their gym, and that was kind of my thank-you,” Betz said.
If you go
What: Seymour Christmas Festival: Craft and Vendor Show
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 26
Where: Girls Inc. of Jackson County, 956 N. O’Brien St., Seymour
Cost: Free admission; nearly 30 vendors will have items available for purchase, and there also will be face painting, Christmas balloon animals, two food trucks, storytimes (10 and 11 a.m.) and Santa Claus (10 a.m. to noon)
Information: Call or text Marissa Betz at 812-216-6936