Holiday Market opens with a preview party

 

story and photos by Ruby Dean
[email protected]

Approximately 150 attended the Preview Party (Nov. 17) portion of the 18th annual Holiday Market held at the Fort Smith Convention Center.

Guests enjoyed an open bar, appetizers, dinner, entertainment and silent and live auctions. This fundraiser helps support the Fort Smith Junior League’s community projects, which are Done in a Day, Literacy Committee, Kids in the Kitchen, Girl’s Education and Mentoring, and Children’s Emergency Shelter.

Last year’s event raised approximately $60,000 and Jenny Kilgore, chair of the Holiday Market Committee, hoped to make closer to $80,000 this year. Tickets were $55 per person or $550 for a table of 10.

This party is more exclusive and more private than the other events hosted by the Holiday Market. This event kicked off a three-day shopping extravaganza for those early Christmas shoppers. The attendees of the Preview Party were allowed to view all of the merchant booths before anyone else. They were also able to take advantage of a special merchant discount and sales during the event. Guests were entertained by the music group Boom! Kinetic.

Girls Night Out, which will be on Friday (Nov. 18) night from 6 to 10 p.m., will include hor s d’oeuvres, drinks, silent and live auction, and fun for all the gals who dare to join the excitement. Girls Night Out will also include a fashion show which will begin around 7:30 p.m.. Last year’s Girls Night Out sold out and this year more tickets were made available and may still be purchased. Tickets are $30 a person. Raffle tickets will also be sold with a complimentary Pucker flavored vodka provided by BEAM Inc.

Snacks with Santa will be held Saturday (Nov. 19) with two sessions available to choose from. The first session will be from 10 a.m. to Noon, and the second from 1 to 3 p.m. Tickets are still available and are $10 per child with at least one accompanying adult. Snacks, bouncy houses, face painting, balloon animals, and entertainment by Kindersongs will be available for all children. Pictures with Santa can be purchased for an additional $10 per picture.

Tickets for general shopping are $5 a person. All tickets are available online, but may also be purchased at the ticket booth at the Fort Smith Convention Center. All income earned from Holiday Market will go toward Junior League of Fort Smith’s Community Projects. In 2010-2011 the Junior League of Fort Smith directly impacted 3042 children, families or individuals and also had an indirect impact on countless others.

The Junior League of Fort Smith has worked diligently in the community to make positive changes. The Junior League of Fort Smith Inc is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

The Holiday Market shopping will conclude Nov. 19.