Quincy Christmas Bazaar scheduled for Saturday

QUINCY - The Quincy Community Center will sponsor its annual Christmas Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the center, 115 Southwest F St.

About 35 to 40 vendors are expected to have tables, said organizer Scott Lybbert. Products will range from handcrafted items to direct sales, he said.

Face painting will be among the activities offered, and kids will be invited to participate in a scavenger hunt. Santa will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to consult on Christmas wishes.

Santa has consented to an interview, Lybbert said. "It (the bazaar) is about the only place you can get the real skinny on what's going on, all the drama at the North Pole," he said.

This will be the bazaar's fifth year. One of its popular features is a portable light moved around to a different vendor about every 20 minutes. "Kind of like a blue light special," Lybbert said. There's information about the vendor, and a prize is awarded from each featured vendor. "We make them yell 'ho,ho,ho,' whoever wins," Lybbert said.

The Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce will kick off its annual "Christmas Passport" promotion during the bazaar. The list of participating businesses (which Chamber officials are calling the passport) will be distributed at the bazaar. Participants visit as many businesses as they choose and get a sticker at each business; passports with the most stickers will be entered in a gift basket drawing.

Vendor spaces are still available, Lybbert said. Spaces are $35 each with an extra charge for a table or electricity. People who want to rent a space can contact the community center, 509-787-1320.