It Takes a Village To Put On Strafford’s Annual Holiday Fair

Strafford’s fourth annual Holiday Fair and festivities will take place Saturday, Dec. 8, promising good food, good shopping, good music and good cheer. Almost every organization and merchant in the village is participating.

Activities begin at 9 a.m. in South Strafford with the Unitarian-Universalist Church’s annual fundraising Cookie Walk in front of Coburn’s General Store.

Starting at 10 a.m., just down the road at the Rosa Tyson Gym, well-known Brooke Wilkinson, sponsored by Strafford Creative Preschool, will present a "Music Together" Program for the smallest children.

At 10:45 a.m., Santa Claus will arrive in one of the town’s fire engines at the gym. Santa will greet the children, and then make his way to the post office on the common, where he will provide an ample lap for all children who want to visit him. An elf photographer will be on hand.

Other activities around the common will include an exhibit entitled "Getting There in Winter: by Hoof or by Foot," put on by the Strafford Historical Society (next door to Santa). There will be a soup and sandwich lunch sponsored by the Strafford United Church in the Parish Hall across the street from the common, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m.; and horse and wagon shuttle rides around the common between 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Just down the road at the brand new Education Center on the grounds of the Morrill Homestead from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., there will be a winter holiday hands-on 19^th-century family craft-making event, including stringing popcorn and cranberries, and making paper snowflakes and pine cone birdfeeders. There will be refreshments and a gift sale as well.

Next door, the Morris Memorial and Harris Library’s popular annual holiday sale of holiday items, foods, plants and wreathes will be in full swing between1-3 p.m.

Off the Common, back in South Strafford, there will be a "Affordable Artwork, Crafts and Music" sale at Barrett Hall, sponsored by Strafford ARTWORKS. Local artists will sell small works of art, craft items and music CDs and offer live music and refreshments.

In addition, three Strafford merchants will hold open houses from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. These include the Strafford Saddlery on Rt. 132 and Agatha Fry’s on Main Street, both in South Strafford; and an open studio sale by Strafford’s own "Sock Lady" at Sol Mate Socks at 26 Alger Brook Road.

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