Exciting New Events Create Market Magic at the Downtown White Plains 2023 Holiday Market
With Thanksgiving turkey roasters barely shelved, many outdoor Holiday Markets have begun rising around New York City and its environs, including throughout Westchester County. But this year, the Downtown White Plains Holiday Market seeks to up its holiday market game to draw more visitors downtown by going beyond the now-standard glass vendor sheds to also present a line-up of unique seasonal surprises appealing to all ages… most of them free!
Now in its third year, the award-winning Downtown White Plains Holiday Market will continue to feature just shy of 50 vendors selling a combination of artisanal, handmade, and unique goods ranging from 4mydogs’ boutique pet wares to Manor Sangria’s fresh small batch sangria perfectly packaged for gift-giving, to English-tearoom-inspired teas and treats fit for royalty courtesy of Florrie Kaye’s Tearoom. “Our vendors are all so unique and are excited to return to Downtown White Plains to offer one-of-a-kind gifts for White Plains and Westchester shoppers,” stated Melissa Tomlin, founder of 914Pop-Ups, a tour de force in Westchester’s holiday and pop-up market scene, who helped cultivate the vendor list from a wide applicant pool over the past few months. “You’ll find nothing but quality at this market.”
But that’s not all. Noticing that many communities were replicating the holiday market theme in their downtowns, this year, the lead coordinator of the event, the White Plains Business Improvement District, a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to supporting downtown White Plains, was determined to create a fresh batch of unique seasonal experiences to make a trip to the downtown extra special during the “most wonderful time of year” and to complement its traditional market environment with some upgraded White Plains magic.
These new additions include:
· Visits with Santa and friends (Polly Penguin, Mr. Snowman, The Grinch) and daily free children’s craft kits, sponsored by Westchester County
· Outdoor firepits, accompanied by occasional acoustic live music, perfect for chatting with friends and warming up, courtesy of Hudson Grille and Lilly’s
· Dazzling Ice Sculpting Demonstrations with Certified Master Carver and Guinness World Record Holder Richard Daly, made possible by SRG2 Properties, LLC
· Live entertainment, ranging from stilt walkers to carolers and even a roving ukulele crooner, thanks to Reckson.
· A New Year’s Eve wishing wall permitting individuals to pin their wish for 2024 to a community wall alongside neighbors, then see those wishes transformed into confetti to be released at the City’s Downtown White Plains ball drop on the 31st! (An activity made possible by Lanline Communications).
· 8 igloos, offering a warm and cozy spot to connect with friends and family over a board game, a take-out meal from local restaurants or via one of the organization’s unique (fee-based) add-on classes/experiences including charcuterie board assembly or candle making. Igloos are sponsored by The Cappelli Company, White Plains Hospital, K5 Properties, & Heineken®.
· Also new this year: S’mores kits available for private rental during market hours!
The new events have already piqued the interest of local residents who have started reserving igloos and calling about the new event. And that of nearby municipalities. “We’ve noticed some our newest features already being quickly added to the schedules of nearby village holiday gatherings practically as soon as we published them,” said Executive Director Jennifer Furioli. “That’s tells us we’re charting the right course.”
In addition to the Entertainment and Igloo Level sponsors listed above, Rose Associates, The Premier Collection, Manor Sangria and Greca Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar are supporting the event as Gold Sponsors. Minuteman Press of Downtown White Plains, Nicholas Wolff of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services and The Cambria White Plains are Small Business Holiday Market Hero Sponsors.
The Downtown White Plains Holiday Market is just one of many seasonal activities feting the season in the central vibrant business district. The City of White Plains will present its Holiday Tree Lighting Sunday, December 10th at 5 pm at Renaissance Plaza Park, and on December 8th, nine bars/restaurants located on Mamaroneck Avenue including Archie Grand, Brazen Fox, Hudson Grille, Lazy Boy, Lilly’s Ron Blacks, Sundance Kitchen, Cantina and Free Bird just announced that they will host their first inaugural ugly sweater crawl, a joint promotion between the neighboring hospitality businesses.
Key Information:
Market Dates: December 6 – 17th
Market opens 11:00 a.m. daily
Location: Court Street between Martine and Main Street
Visit: wpbid.com/holidaymarket & follow Whiteplains.bid (Instagram) and @WhitePlainsBID (Facebook) for more info and the most current schedule of events.