46th Annual Christmas Fair rings in the holiday season

Melanie Pena

More stories from Melanie Pena

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Photo courtesy / Brooke Owen

The Junior League of El Paso rings in the holiday season with their 46th annual “A Christmas Fair,” located at the convention center.

The Christmas season has officially begun in El Paso. Nov. 1 marked the 46th annual “A Christmas Fair” and attracted thousands of people to the Judson F. Williams Convention Center over the span of three days.  The fair, which was themed “Seeing is Believing,” lasted until Sunday, Nov. 3. “A Christmas Fair” is the biggest event that the Junior League of El Paso hosts, and months of preparation and dedication go into perfecting this festive event.

Making the decorations, which are dispersed throughout the convention center, constitute a major part of the time spent organizing “A Christmas Fair.” Gaddy Builders and Compound Design created their own version of the North Pole to delight both children and children at heart. Contributing to the holiday magic, 600 handmade ornaments brought pops of color to the Christmas tree.

In addition, the fair featured special events, such as the “Nightmare before Christmas Fair” and “Tone, Tinis and Tags.” The “Nightmare before Christmas Fair” took place on Oct. 26 at the Union Depot, and it served to boost excitement for the fair. It had a photo booth, an auction, and a dance floor. All guests were encouraged to wear a costume and compete in the costume contest. “Tone, Tinis and Tags” took place early on Nov. 1 and was an exclusive way to get first dibs on the shopping. There was also a meet and greet with Santa at “Santa’s Sweet Shop,” where all children could hear Christmas stories while enjoying some cookies.

Aside from taking in the wintry decorations and partaking in the holiday celebrations, attending provides an opportunity to get an early Christmas gift while financially supporting the community. Within the fair, a series of 230 shops were featured from all over the country and from Mexico.

There is a cost to enter the fair. For general admission, it is $10 for adults and $9 for children, college students, seniors, and military. Children under 6 are free.

The annual event is a place to share food, laughs, and fun with some special people. Every first weekend of November, the Junior League’s “A Christmas Fair” invites and welcomes all of the El Paso community to kick off the Christmas season together.