Craft shows will open across the region this weekend, offering shoppers a chance to browse local vendors and find unique gifts for this holiday season.
The Wyoming Valley Mall will host its Holiday Craft Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with 130 participating local vendors set up in the indoor common areas. It’s the mall’s largest craft show to date since it began hosting them in December 2024.
“It is a huge milestone for us and likely our max,” said Breanna Yashkus, assistant general manager of the mall. “We are beyond grateful for all of the support we have received with these shows from both the vendors and shoppers.”
Yashkus said it was initially difficult to find vendors for craft shows and required recruitment via Facebook crafting groups and other local shows.
For this show, vendor registration was full by August.
“These shows have grown so much, so quickly, that we now only recruit vendors through posts on our Wyoming Valley Mall social media pages and end up having to turn vendors away,” she said. “We really are so, so thankful for the overwhelming support.”
A wide range of goods, and eyes on revitalization
The 130 vendors at the show will offer a wide variety of different goods, from custom holiday ornaments and wreaths, to sustainable, upcycled clothing and jewelry, and cozy quilts and hand-poured candles and soaps.
Others will sell foods like chocolate-covered pretzels, Italian pastries, gourmet popcorn, cookies, nut rolls, coffee and freeze-dried candy. Also available will be succulents and plants, crochet animals, handmade pet items, personalized paintings, nail art and more.
Yashkus said a number of vendors, including Crystalize to Revitalize, Woodshed Chocolates, Duckville Soap Co., Together with Light Candles and a few others, return for every show.
“They always tell us these are their favorite and most attended events of the year,” she said. “With the large crowds, a number of our vendors actually sell out at each show. Our stores also benefit from the increased foot traffic and the early holiday shoppers who typically wouldn’t be out and about this early in the season.”
Hosting craft shows throughout the year is among several efforts to revitalize the mall.
“Over the last two years, the mall has hosted more events than ever before,” Yashkus said. “We have been hyperfocused on engaging the community and making sure our community members have meaningful, fun and free events to attend each month.”
A New Year’s balloon drop, an Easter egg hunt, a memorial walk for Vincent Madl, known as “Vinnie the Mall Walker,” a “Heart Day” fundraiser for the American Heart Association and a mall-wide trick-or-treat were some of the several free events held this year.
Find a full list of vendors and more on the Holiday Craft Show, which will also have free admission, at facebook.com/shopwyomingvalleymall/.
More markets
There are several other winter markets and craft shows planned for this weekend.
At Country Junction in Lehighton, the Shop & Be Merry Market will feature more than 50 artisan vendors from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, with food trucks and festive activities. Families can meet Santa, "Frozen" and "Paw Patrol" characters and Highland mini cows and goats. Attendees can also enjoy the Polar Express Hay/Train Ride, holiday-themed drone show, carolers and other entertainment.
The Friedman Jewish Community Center, 613 S.J. Strauss Lane, Kingston, will host more than 40 vendors at its indoor winter market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Food trucks will also be on site.
In addition to its variety of local artisan vendors, the Harvest Artisan Market at Harvest Church, 340 Carverton Road, Trucksville, will offer free entry to a door prize during the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
In Lackawanna County, the Greater Scranton YMCA will hold a fall craft fair, with a $2 admission fee, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and the Greater Carbondale YMCA will hold a holiday craft fair, with a $1 admission fee, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
MORE EVENTS
For a comprehensive list of events and attractions throughout Northeast Pennsylvania, including other winter markets in the region, visit DiscoverNEPA.
