‘Shop in those small businesses’: Easton Winter Village returns to Centre Square

EASTON, Pa. — The city has many small businesses, Mayor Sal J. Panto Jr. said Saturday, urging residents to shop locally this holiday season.

“We have a lot of small businesses that are new, and we really want you to shop in those small businesses,” said Panto. “You could go to the big box stores. With the money you give them that profit goes to Arkansas or wherever.

“Here, it gets put right back into the Easton area community economy. And that's really important — the important thing is to spend money locally.”

In its fifth year, Easton Winter Village returned to Centre Square Saturday, ushered open with speeches from officials and local leaders during an 1 p.m. ceremony.

The free-admission event, sponsored by Lehigh Valley Health Network and featuring 40 unique merchant huts, live entertainment, a skating rink and more, runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22.

“The fun does not start and end here in the square,” said Marcy McKinney, director of special events and promotions for the Greater Easton Development Partnership. “Downtown Easton has over 35 different retail stores — brick and mortars — to make your holiday season even more special.

“So, please, grab yourself a hot chocolate and take a gander downtown and see what else our lovely city has to offer to you.”

‘It gets busier and busier’

The square was bustling with activity before the opening ceremony, as vendors readied their huts for the first day of the holiday season.

Dave Fisher had a heater on inside his business, D & N Wood Creations. Inside, he’s surrounded by his work — charcuterie and cutting boards, cheese slicers and more. All his products are handmade; while the walnut and darker woods come from his property in upstate New York, the maple is locally sourced.

“The first weekend is always slow,” said Fisher, of Palmer Township. “But then, every week after this, it gets busier and busier.”

His third year vending at the village, Fisher has noticed a trend. The closer it gets to Christmas, the more he sells, adding he “does well the week before Christmas.”

There are more than three dozen vendors this year, with various wares, from olive oil and dog treats to ceramics and soy candles. There’s also plenty of food, including cookies, hot chocolate and coffee.

“Next Saturday is [Small Business Saturday],” Panto said. “And I hope you all come down to give our retailers some business during the winter festival.”

Danielle Lindsley, a senior at Lafayette College, said it’s her last year attending the holiday market.

“I’ll miss a lot of the events here,” she said, citing the city’s annual BaconFest and Garlic Fest.

‘What a wonderful community’

Towering above the square is the city’s iconic 85-foot Peace Candle. First lit in 1951 as part of an interdenominational program honoring those serving in the armed forces, officials said it symbolizes the city’s “holiday spirit and spreading a message of peace and unity for all.”

A lighting ceremony scheduled for next Saturday, Nov. 30.

In addition to the vendors and the candle, there’s also the village’s skating rink, in the first block of South Third Street. Residents in the 18042 zip code can get a free 45-minute skating session with a valid ID. For nonresidents, it costs $5.

“Because of all the construction going on, we had to put it some place where it was out of the way, and that was the place we found,” Panto said.

While the square wasn’t packed for the opening ceremony, which included music from the city’s high school band, a few dozen people were walking around and shopping.

In addition to Panto and McKinney, Joe Pinto, vice president of Lehigh Valley Health Network and state Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Northampton, also spoke.

“We are coming into a very beautiful time of the year, a very festive time, a time of being with family, but also a time to realize, once again, what a wonderful community in which we live,” Freeman said. “Easton has come a long, long way, and we can be very proud of the accomplishments, and it's thanks to a lot of hard working people at City Hall and in our community who've really brought this town back to what it is today.

“And we can take great pride in that.”