Built in 1883, Hoboken’s City Hall was originally a public marketplace. On Sunday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the majestic landmark will return to its roots. The Hoboken Division of Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the seventh annual Holiday Crafts Market in historic City Hall (94 Washington St., Hoboken). To accommodate all of the artists who wanted to participate, this year the craft market has expanded and there will be locations at Shannon Lounge (106 First St.), Tiger Schulman’s Karate School (84 Washington St.), and the Landmark Building (1 Newark St.).
More than 65 highly talented artisans from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland will present and display their crafts. Hoboken Director of Cultural Affairs, Geri Fallo, who organized the event, touts the market as a great alternative to holiday shopping at the mall.
"It’s a nice alternative to the hustle and bustle of shopping malls," Fallo said last week. "This is a much more intimate and friendly way to shop. You actually meet the person who made the item. "
The market will feature hand-painted silk scarves, pottery, earthenware tiles, jewelry, wooden hand-painted furniture, picture frames, mirrors, aromatherapy candles, candleholders, lamps and clocks, embroidered children’s clothes, soaps and bath salts, holiday ornaments, wreaths and trees, blown glass vases, floral arrangements, lamp shades, framed artist prints and photographs, mosaics, greeting cards, exotic sauces and more.
"We’ve had to expand it because we had so many artists and crafts people who wanted to be a part of it," explained Fallo.
Specifically, the gals from Forever Green will be selling bath soaps and oils; Hoboken resident Jennifer Place will be peddling her one-of-a-kind lanterns and picture frames made from recycled and found objects, along with hand-made jewelry; Laura Evans Bowers will sell silver jewelry; Jim and Doris Newman will sell handwoven scarves and stoles; and Weehawken resident Anna Yglesias will display her folk art paintings.
Landmark Coffee will also be on hand selling gourmet coffee and tea, hot apple cider, hand-held pastries, cookies, bagels and cream cheese, muffins, fruit and sandwiches in case you get hungry form all of the shopping. And if you’re looking for something to take the edge off, enjoy a pint of Guinness at Shannon Lounge.
For more information call 420-2207.
Book sale and signing
In conjunction with the mile-square city’s holiday crafts market, the Hoboken Public Library will host its third annual Hoboken Authors and Illustrators Book Sale and Signing on Sunday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The book signing will be located across the street form Shannon Lounge (106 First St.).
Sponsored by the Friends of the Hoboken Public Library, the event will feature some of the area’s top artists and illustrators, including Ona Gilbert (Starfish Summer); Caroline Levitt (Coming Back to Me); Al Sullivan (Everyday People); Ed Shirak (My Way); Nacy Jessup (Mangia); Jill Rothstein (Meant To Be); Jack Silbert (The Christmas Aliens); Paul Paradise (Trademark Counterfeiting); Santiago Cohen (The Fifth Name); Elizabeth Knight (Tea with Friends); and Phil Huling (Moses in Egypt).
For more information call 420-2207.