NORTHFIELD — The Trinitarian Congregational Church is breaking from a decades-old tradition this year by moving the date of its annual Hollyberry Fair from the first Saturday in December to Saturday, Nov. 4.
Co-Chairwomen of the Hollyberry Fair Committee Jeanne Closson and Chris Harris said they hope moving the fair’s date will lead to increased business and fewer weather-related difficulties.
“Last spring, when we were talking about next year’s fair, we discussed ‘What if we did the fair earlier?’” said Harris, who is also an editor at The Greenfield Recorder. “There was a feeling that people were all faired out by the beginning of December because fairs start the first week of November.”
Harris compiled a list of the various holiday craft fairs in Franklin County and found that the Trinitarian Congregational Church’s event was “at the tail end,” coupled with the St. Patrick’s Church Elves Fair and the First Parish of Northfield Unitarian Church’s Holiday Fair. The majority of bazaars are held in November.
“We found decreasing attendance over the past few years,” Closson added. “We thought if we moved up to the head of the line we’d see a little more business.”
Part of the decreasing attendance may have resulted from winter weather, Harris said, which also poses a problem for the 17 vendors who are not church members and bring their wares to the 147 Main St. church on fair day. Harris recalls vendors falling on ice and getting their vehicles stuck in the snow.
Harris and Closson said they invited the other Northfield organizations that offer bazaars on the first Saturday in December to move their dates as well, but none did.
As far as Closson can remember, the Hollyberry Fair has been raising money for the church for around 60 years. She doesn’t remember a time when it wasn’t held on the first Saturday in December, and said the change has been met with varying opinions.
“It really varies,” Closson said. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm, but people miss the camaraderie of being there with the other churches on that Saturday in December.”
“It’s a big experiment for us,” Harris said. “It’s a big deal to change a tradition that’s so ingrained. We’ll see what happens.”
The Hollyberry Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4. Brunch will be available to the public at 9 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m.
Reach Shelby Ashline at: sashline@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 257