Christmas in Novinger Set for November 22
With the holiday season approaching, shoppers can prepare for the annual Christmas in Novinger event on Saturday, Nov. 22, when three shopping locations will offer a full day of browsing, gift-buying and seasonal festivities. Organizers say the long-running community tradition continues to draw visitors from across the region and serves as a kickoff to the town’s holiday spirit.
The 39th Country Christmas Craft Festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Novinger School on Highway 149. More than 70 booths will fill both gyms and surrounding hallways, including several first-time vendors. Handmade items will include quilts, blankets, soaps, jewelry, woodworking projects, leather goods, woven baskets, metal art, jams and jellies, baby items, holiday décor and other specialty crafts. A bake sale featuring homemade candy and a food stand offering cinnamon rolls, pies and additional treats will be open throughout the festival.
A new feature this year is a selection of collectible wooden ornaments available just inside the high school gym entrance. Novinger Renewal, Inc. will also have copies of the community history book Novinger (Adair County), Missouri along with volumes of It Happened in Novinger. Visitors can enter free prize drawings held every 30 minutes. Admission is by donation.
The Novinger Community Center, located on the west side of town, will host a Holiday Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bazaar will offer vintage and collectible items, sewn crafts, home décor, wreaths, floral arrangements, food goods, jewelry and a variety of direct-sales merchandise. Shoppers should take Route O toward the former downtown area and turn left at the caboose to reach the center next to the fairgrounds.
On the east side of town, Shopper’s Delight will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Novinger Firehouse along Highway 6. Direct-sales vendors, handmade craft items, homemade food products and additional gift selections will be available, giving shoppers even more choices as they prepare for the holidays.
The Craft Festival and Holiday Bazaar benefit Novinger Renewal, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to preserving local history and supporting community improvement projects, including the Novinger Log Homestead, the Community Center, and restoration efforts at the former Methodist Church and caboose. Proceeds from Shopper’s Delight assist the Friends of the Novinger Firehouse with building maintenance.
