The Oswayo Valley Memorial Library and Oswayo Valley Music Boosters will once again sponsor a Candy Cane Lane Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the elementary school in Shinglehouse.
Dozens of vendors will have homemade items, handcrafted creations, and popular home products all in one place for an afternoon of local holiday shopping.
On Thursday, Event Coordinator Cherri Maxson said this is the eighth annual event, one that is anticipated to be “bigger than ever.”
“This year’s Candy Cane Lane Festival will feature 43 vendors, which is the most we’ve ever had, all of which are from the local area,” Maxson told The Era. “The farthest vendors we’ve had are from areas like Bradford or Portville, N.Y. We typically have vendors from Coudersport, Port Allegany, Smethport and Shinglehouse, among others. So everything is local.”
Vendors will also showcase popular home companies like Avon and 31, in addition to all of the handcrafted and homemade wood and stone carvings, jewelry, soaps and honey that come from local businesses and individuals.
“It’s a big mix of a lot of different things,” Maxson stated. “A nice variety to entice holiday shoppers looking for more unique, personal items to purchase or give as gifts this season.”
There will also be food booths and bake sale goods, she continued, as well as persons giving String Ensemble lessons with violins, cello, and a “mix of instruments.” A local DJ will play popular holiday tunes throughout the day, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be present to hand out candy canes and greet attendees.
“We want it to be as festive as possible,” Maxson explained.
The festival will take place in the gymnasium and the cafeteria of the elementary school, which will sport festive Christmas decor, Maxson noted. It’s been held there for the past five years, she said, and has served as “the perfect place” for the event.
“We keep all vendors contained to both large rooms, which really makes for a nicely organized, somewhat compact central location for people to set-up, browse and socialize,” Maxson said. “The wide expanses of space really allow for vendor and shopper comfort and ease of movement, and the lack of staircases adds a handicap-friendly accessibility that definitely adds to the ease of the event.”
The festival is sponsored by the Oswayo Valley Memorial Library, which is the area’s public library, and the Music Boosters, which assist the high school music program. It serves as the largest fundraiser for both organizations.
Juanita Blau, Oswayo Valley Memorial Library board member, stated the festival has certainly grown in size from year to year.
“The festival used to be just a fundraiser for the OV Memorial Library, with little crafts and local people sharing where they live and what they do, and it’s grown to be a fundraiser for both the library here and the music boosters at the school,” Blau explained.
“It’s a great place to shop locally from local vendors, while also builds community spirit,” Maxson added.
And it is anticipated to be “even more popular” among locals this year, according to Maxson and Blau.
“Especially with more vendors, it’s going to be an area-wide event,” Blau stated. “Typically more vendors bring more people, and the word of mouth has definitely spread.”
“The Candy Cane Lane Festival is one of our Smalltown Christmas activities, which is a community-wide initiative to collaborate on the organization of events/activities going on across the area; it’s done very well,” Maxson commented. “We look forward to seeing all in the community attend the Candy Cane Lane Festival, and encourage the support of buying and selling locally during the holidays, and at all times of the year.”
Admission to the event will be $3 for adults and senior citizens and $2 for children. Children age 5 and under will be admitted for free. Admittees will be given a stamp on the back of their hands so that they “may come and go as they please,” organizers noted.
