By Linda Wright
Herald Contributer
The 8th Annual Halle-Bration FREE Holiday Festival & Gift Mall Dec. 11-12 is virtual this year, but still as festive as ever. Don’t miss the fabulous shopping at our 23 Black owned businesses; continuous entertainment from seven jazz, soul and Gospel performers; the Taste of Halle-Bration for your favorite baked goods, sweets and treats; children’s craft workshop, community webinars and more.
Virtual Halle-Bration will stream live Friday 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at https://www.facebook.com/hallebration . Our only in-person event is the “Drive Through Toy Give Away with Santa,” 12 noon to 1 p.m. The toy give-away is free, open to the public with masks required, for the first 200 children. No pre-registration needed, but kids must be present. Santa will greet them from a safe distance.
“When I’m asked `What is Virtual Halle-Bration,’ I say think of it as a LIVE easy-to-use interactive website, where visitors enter by clicking on a button on the Virtual Halle-Bration or New Vision UM Church Facebook page, said Kathye Lewis Norman, Chair of Virtual Halle-Bration 2020.
“You can also visit it directly, using a unique online address to be announced soon,” she said. “Also, if you pre-register, you’ll get a free `ticket’ that you just click on to enter during event hours.”
After you enter the site you can click on booths, the Main Stage to see entertainment, on community workshop rooms or the children can visit Annie Ruth’s Christmas Craft online workshop. Each vendor will have a `digital booth’ where you can browse, shop in and even talk to the vendor. You’ll love it!
Our Holiday Shopping Mall features 23 unique and varied vendors, selling food, fine clothing, hats, handbags, handcrafted ornaments, African American children’s books, fashion face masks with matching head scarves and more. Service oriented businesses are also featured.
And treat your taste buds to “A Taste of Halle-Bration,” with Davis Cookie Collection’s scrumptious cookies, Edibles N Such’s catering and meal service with delicious soups, sandwiches, entrees and more; Goodie’s Barbecue’s tasty ribs, rib tips, chicken and more; Final Course Gourmet Desserts’ smooth and mellow banana puddings and more; and Sweet Jazz Treats’ cakes, cake pops and more.
FRIDAY: Workshops:5 p.m.: Closing the Health Gap’s “Introduction To Black Women’s Health Movement;” 6:15 p.m.: Fifth Third Bank presents “Covid 19 Recovery and Relief Initiative for Businesses.”
Jazz & Soul Night Entertainment: 4:30 p.m.: Vocalist P. Ann Everson Price; 5:35 p.m.: Jazz Saxophonist Ed SAX Thomas; and 7:30 p.m.: jazz group Mike Wade Octet.
SATURDAY: Workshops: 10 a.m., Christmas Craft Workshop with Artist Annie Ruth (Find shopping list for dollar store craft supplies on Halle-Bration Facebook page); 10:30 a.m.: “Curvy Cardio” with Morgan Owens; 11 a.m.: First Financial Bank presents “Managing Your Personal Finances and Mortgage Made Easy; 12 Noon, Fifth Third Bank presents “Covid 19 Recovery and Relief Initiative for Businesses;” and 1:30 p.m.: Union Guardian Savings Bank presents “Get On the Path to Home Ownership.”
Jazz & Gospel Entertainment: 11:30 a.m.: LaKeisa Ealy; 1 p.m.: Ellis Williams; 2:15 p.m.: Angela Grayson, In His Image.
All Virtual Halle-Bration 2020 events, entertainment and shopping mall are free and open to the public. No registration is required, but if you pre-register, you’ll get updates and receive a free digital ticket you can easily click on to enter the event Dec. 11-12. For information, call 513-961-4817. To pre-register, visit https://www.accelevents.com/e/VirtualHalleBration2020.
