The Holiday Market at High Hopes always draws a crowd well in excess of 2,000 people.
The High Hopes Holiday Market is one of Connecticut’s premier Holiday Events. This year over 60 curated vendors will come together with food stalls, music, kids’ activities and a whole barn-full of holiday spirit, to benefit over 1,800 children, teens and adults, who participate annually in High Hopes Therapeutic Equine programs.
Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. over 2,300 visitors will come through the barn in search of holiday inspiration. They’ll find something for everyone on their list from handmade silver jewelry to unique upcycled clothing, woolly socks to silk scarves, beer tasting to home-made honey, babies’ gifts to coffee table books, and cheese-makers to chocolatiers.
During the market, there will be a drawing of the winning ticket for the Annual Raffle, supported this year by Valenti Auto Mall. One lucky winner will drive away in a brand-new Jeep Wrangler. Tickets are $50 and only 1,500 will be sold in total, so purchase yours ahead of time from High Hopes by calling Karena Garrity at 860.434.1974 x 119.
There will be food trucks for every taste including:
- The Rolling Tomato Brick Oven Pizza
- Supreme Hot Dogs
- Bureaus Sugarhouse Kettle Korn
- Chester’s Barbeque
- Flanders’ Fish Market
- Meriano’s Cannoli Truck
- Munchies
- Taco Pacifico
- Omar Coffee — Refreshment Partner
- gourmet grilled cheese from The Whey Station.
Kids will be kept occupied with activities sponsored by Eversource Energy.
This year an Authors’ Corner has been added with four local authors all offering book sales and signings.
- Local celebrity chef and friend of High Hopes Jacques Pépin will be signing copies of his book: A Grandfather’s Lessons: In the kitchen with Shorey, 1-2pm.
- Lauren K. Stein will be introducing her new book: Fresh Made Simple from 11-12:30pm,
- Deanie Humphrys-Dunne will be signing copies of her children’s book: My Life at Sweetbrier: A Life Changed by Horses from 2:30-4:00pm.
- Photographer Caryn B. Davis will be selling signed copies of her new book, A Connecticut Christmas: Celebrating the Holiday in Classic New England Style, throughout the day.
Local band The Brazen Youth and their friends from the Ashlawn Recording Company will be finishing their first tour and entertaining visitors at the market at the same time.
High Hopes extends thanks to Media Partners WNLC and 100.9 K-Hits and Music Sponsor Bob’s Discount Furniture.
A short Flag Tribute to Veterans will be held this morning at 10 a.m. in the Essex Town Park across from Saint Johns Episcopal Church assisted by 15 members of the Lymes’ VFW Post #1467 in their uniform of blues and grays with VFW caps and white gloves.