The Holiday Market, scheduled to take place in James Commons on November 22, 2025, aims to bring together the Le Moyne community before the start of the holiday season. Attendees can expect a wide variety of goods and price ranges, including shawls, scarves, jewelry, soaps, baked goods, candles, coffee, and much more. As of now, just under 40 vendors are signed up. These vendors are mostly local small businesses, with some run by students. Two student vendors will be representing their own businesses, and several club representatives will also participate. Vendors will be able to use their creativity to decorate their booths.
It is also important to mention that non-perishable goods will be collected at the Holiday Market for the Le Moyne College Campus Cupboard. At the Craft Fair, donations were collected for the Food Bank, but organizers wanted to focus more on the Le Moyne community and make these donations even more accessible to students, staff, and community members.
Co-organizer, Dr. Emily Perkins, placed an emphasis on gathering everyone together for a fun experience. “I’m just excited to do something that involves the whole community. I really look forward to having an opportunity to bring everyone together, and I hope that we get the turnout I’m hoping for,” she said. The first 30 students in attendance will also receive a voucher to use at some of the booths. “We’re hoping that that’ll be a fun way to get students to want to come and walk around and shop and just be involved,” she said.
Perkins, is the Associate Director of the Writing Center at Le Moyne College. Perkins also teaches a Writing 100 class, volunteers for Manresa, and works with Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) students. She is also a small business owner of “Olive & Eli,” which sparked her interest in directing and organizing the Holiday Market.
In 2019, Perkins adopted her second rescue dog and realized that most pet accessories available didn’t fit her dog or weren’t the most attractive. She decided to make her own pet accessories and began selling them online. After the pandemic, she began selling her products at vendor markets, eventually participating in the 2022 Craft Fair at Le Moyne. Although she was not affiliated with Le Moyne at the time, she explains that she wanted to recreate that event to bring the community together before the holidays.
The idea for the Holiday Market stems from a Craft Fair held at Le Moyne in 2022. The event inspired an attempt to recreate that community experience before the holidays. Planning has involved close collaboration with Nicole Flores from the Office of Community Engagement, who has been helpful in the overall organization of the event. Additionally, Jack Brower has been working to promote the event, as he works closely with the Neighborhood Association.
Some international students will also be involved, particularly with decorating. Organizers hope to recreate a European market vibe. They have been in touch with Amy Kennedy, who works closely with international students, to engage more student groups and understand what they may be hoping to gain from the Holiday Market.
The Holiday Market will take place on November 22, 2025, in James Commons from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be a wide variety of vendors and price ranges for students and community members to shop and enjoy, and an overall opportunity to get into the holiday spirit.
