As the holiday season nears, festive markets begin to take place around the world, and Lemont is no different. With the Lemont Christmas Market, sponsored by the Lemont Village Association, first starting 10 years ago, it has now become a holiday staple and tradition in Lemont. With a focus on “enriching the local community by bringing people together to enjoy our little nook on the side of Mount Nittany, the Lemont Village Association also does fundraising to maintain the Thompson Granary on Mount Nittany Road in Lemont, which is the last wooden granary in Pennsylvania. We try to accomplish both of these goals with the Christmas Market,” Catherine Cohan, an instrumental person in starting and coordinating the market, said.  

Patterned after the outdoor Christmas markets in Germany, the market was held December 7th-8th with a plethora of items sold. “Local artisans sell their handmade art and crafts–jewelry, pottery, lapidary, clothing, ornaments. We also have a popular concession stand with homemade cookies and grilled bratwurst and hot dogs from Hogs Galore,” Cohan said.  Yet with an average temperature of 20 degrees Fahrenheit both days, the market was only available to those willing to brave the cold. But brave the cold many did, with a large turnout of both adults and kids.

“I am thrilled that it has grown in popularity. The event has a lot of heart and people look forward to coming to it. This year we included Christmas tree sales, and we added more vendors,” Cohan said. “We always welcome everyone for a fun and festive outing. Families with children are welcome. On Saturday, Santa and Mrs. Claus were at the Market and the Bellefonte Historic Railroad ran “speeder” [essentially a small cab] rides up and down the train tracks.”

If you missed the market this year, don’t fret. It will be available next year once again, it’s a great opportunity for all.  “Yeah, I think it was fun and it was really nice to meet all these people there and I would recommend it to a friend if they are interested in events like this,” senior Anita Azhdari, a volunteer at the market who “needed to get done some community hours, heard about this on the school website, and  thought it sounded interesting and fun,” said. 

And the Granary isn’t just interesting and fun in the events that it holds, but also the ambiance and vibe surrounding it. “The Granary is absolutely beautiful when it is dressed up for Christmas with the grand wreath outside that is created and donated by the Popovich family. I like seeing people hanging out just enjoying the ambiance and talking to friends and neighbors during the Market. I think this event is unique in the warm community feeling it conveys, and I am grateful to the many people who contribute to making this event special for all,” Cohan said.