Built in 1883, Hoboken’s City Hall was originally a public marketplace, and for one day – Sunday, Dec. 8 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 sixth annual Holiday Crafts Market in historic City Hall (94 Washington St.) More than 50 highly talented artisans from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania will be on hand to display and sell their crafts.
Local writers also will be on hand to sign their novels, children’s books, and essay collections.
Hoboken Director of Cultural Affairs Geri Fallo, who organized the event, touts the market as a great alternative to holiday shopping at the mall. “The mall gets so crazy this time of year,” said Fallo Tuesday. “What we are offering is a more relaxed environment where people can choose from a unique and eclectic selection of gift items.”
She added that instead of the cookie-cutter products found at many stores in the malls, Hoboken residents will be able to buy distinctive wares. “There’s going to be a lot of usable and functional art,” she said. “Items for that hard-to-buy for person that you can never seem to find anything for.”
The market will feature hand-painted silk scarves, pottery, earthenware tiles, jewelry, wooden hand-painted furniture, picture frames and mirrors, candles, candleholders, lamps and clocks, unusual metal work, holiday ornaments, floral arrangements, lamp shades made from dried flowers and beads, framed artist prints and photographs, mosaics, greeting cards, exotic salad dressings and more.
“Hoboken Eddie” will be on hand selling his BBQ sauces – Honolulu Hannah and Mean Green – which, according to the sauciere’s motto, “are like nobody’s business.”
There will be silk and velvet patchwork quilts from Granny Annie, etched metal books by Nina Nusynowitz, ceramic Hoboken row house clocks by Maureen White; vintage china mosaic mirrors, frames and furniture by Kathy Grady, and herb dip mixes by Mimi’s by the Sea.
For the first time ever, in addition to City Hall, a second location has been selected to accommodate all of the extra crafts people who want to participate in the market. The Shannon Lounge (106 First St.) directly across the street from City Hall will also have artisans selling their goods.
Fallo said that she is very happy that the Shannon will be used as a location. “There are many times where the wife drags the husband along to do some shopping,” she said. “This way he doesn’t have to get bored. He can watch the game and have a pint while the wife does the shopping. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”
Local writers
Also at the Shannon, the city has joined forces with The Friends of the Library, who will be sponsoring the Authors and Illustrators Book Sale and Signing. For the fourth year in a row, the signing will bring Hoboken’s brightest and best-known book illustrators and writers together, offering their works for sale.
Scheduled to appear are Ona Gilbert (Starfish Summer); Al Sullivan, (Everyday People); Dawn Raffel (Carrying the Body); Jeff Somers (The Inner Swine, Lifers); Gonca Esendemir,(Flying With Broken Wings A Poetic Journey); Jack Silbert, (The Christmas Aliens); Paul Paradise (Trademark Counterfeiting); Santiago Cohen, (The Fifth Name); Phil & Jan Huling, (Puss in Cowboy Boots), Jane Isenberg (The Bel Barrett Mystery Series), Barry McNamera (Keys to Dealing with Bullies), Ilise Benun (Self Promotion Online), Joachim Horvitz (The Big Book of Jewish Baseball), Iseult Devlin (Winter Sports: A Woman’s Guide), and Francis McCall & Patricia Keeler (A Huge Hog is a Big Pig).