Airdrie and Rocky View County shoppers can find home décor, homemade cooking, art work, unique Christmas gifts, and anything else they’re looking for this holiday season at New Horizon Mall’s Christmas market on Dec. 4.
The Balzac-based shopping centre’s holiday-themed market will be underway from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with more than 40 local crafters, artisans, and entrepreneurs showcasing their wares in the mall’s atrium.
Calgary-based business owner Kaylynn Miller is organizing the event. She is the owner of Kay’s Hairstyling and Consulting, and said the opportunity to put on a Christmas market is a challenge she is eagerly embracing.
“I love markets in general, because it gives people the opportunity to get their items out there,” she said. “You couldn’t get any more local than this, from the actual person who handcrafts their items selling it right to the customer or taking orders. I love the local feel of it.”
According to Miller, the Dec. 4 market will boast a wide variety of items for people to tick off items from their Christmas shopping lists, with everything from crocheted and knitted clothing to bath bombs, homemade hot chocolate, and art work.
“We actually have a nine-year-old entrepreneur who makes bath bombs and is coming to showcase her stuff,” Miller said. “We have other businesses like Tupperware and Scentsy, but the main focus is on our crafters and artisans. There will even be some artists there with their paintings.”
As an incentive to come early, the first 50 people to show up will receive a free swag bag.
New Horizon Mall’s Dec. 4 event is one of many locally held Christmas markets in Balzac and area this holiday season. The event comes after the Balzac Christmas Market was held Nov. 20, while Century Downs Racetrack and Casino and the Airdrie Farmers Market are also hosting their annual Christmas markets on Dec. 4.
Miller said Christmas markets provide a fun way to support local business owners and entrepreneurs during the hectic holiday season. Given the negative impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on small businesses in the last 19 months, she said putting your dollar toward a local entrepreneur is more important now than ever.
“There is a lot more focus on supporting local now,” she said. “It helps the economy, wherever it may be. It’s going to help bring a whole new dynamic to making sure you support where you live instead of these big corporations.”
As a retail space, New Horizon Mall is not required to participate in the Alberta government’s Restriction Exemption Program, which would require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, medical exemption, or proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test in order to enter.
However, Miller said a mask mandate is still in effect throughout the facility. In addition, shoppers will be asked to socially distance themselves and the mall will operate under a one-third capacity.
According to Miller, profiles on individual vendors who will be selling their wares at the market will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.
