Pickles in Paradise in Coral Bay will be the place to be on Saturday, December 7, for the chance to buy great holiday gifts from local vendors, judge the best home brews around, get a photo taken with Santa, listen to live music and enjoy delicious local food; all while helping to support an important community organization.
The Coral Bay Community Council is hosting the first annual Coral Bay Bizarre Bazaar from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with fun activities planned for the whole family.
“We have been looking for an idea to host a fundraiser and our top priority was to include as many members of the community as possible,” said Sarah Groves, a CBCC board member and a member of the group’s fundraising committee.
Instead of a high-priced gala, CBCC volunteers decided to host a Bizarre Bazaar where the community could come together and support local artists and vendors, learn about CBCC’s work and kick off the holiday season.
“We really wanted to showcase what Coral Bay is all about,” said Groves. “We have a lot of musicians and artists and vendors. And with a lot of people returning this time of year, this is a really great excuse to come out and catch up with your neighbors who you might not have seen in the past few months.”
The day is shaping up to be a great afternoon. There will be live music all day, raffle prizes and a silent auction for the chance to bid on villa stays, boat charters and more. One need not be present to win the raffles either.
The bazaar will be the perfect place to pick up holiday gifts as more than 25 vendors and artists have registered to sell their wares. There will be everything from local jewelry to original paintings available to buy directly from the artists themselves.
And those gifts won’t be forgotten about on the top of a closet. The folks from Keep Me Posted will be on hand to box, gift wrap, package and ship those presents to stateside family members and friends.
There will also be plenty of great bargains. CBCC’s Bizarre Bazaar will feature a yard sale, a plant sale, a bake sale and a marine goods sale. In addition to the great food available at Pickles, there will be food and drinks for sale by CBCC members at the bazaar as well as local West Indian treats like johnny cakes and pates.
Beer lovers will not want to miss the home brew competition. Seven home brewers have signed up already for the competition, which will be judged by the public. Just buy a ticket to sample the beers and rank them in order of favorite. Although not eligible to win the competition, St. John Brewers will be pouring samples of their new Double IPA release as well.
A children’s tent will have plenty of activities to keep the little ones busy while Santa himself will be on hand from noon to 2 p.m. to pose for pictures and listen to gift requests. The afternoon will also feature donkey and pony rides for kids.
CBCC officials will be in attendance to sign up new members and share information about the group’s ongoing community projects, some of which will be funded with revenue from the bazaar. Members of the Island Green Building Association will also be sharing information about their organization.
And it’s not too late to be a part of the bazaar. CBCC is looking for volunteers to help set up, run tables and clean up after the event. There is also still space to register as a vendor and items are still being accepted for raffle prizes and silent auctions. Stop by Dr. Bob Debonis’ Chiropractic Office at the Cocoloba Complex on Thursday afternoon, December 5, to make a donation to the bazaar.
Email corabaybazaar@gmail.com or call CBCC volunteer Nancy Stromp at (340) 775-0533 for more information on how to get involved.
Be sure to come out to Pickles in Paradise on Saturday, December 7, to support CBCC and take part in what is sure to be one of the biggest events of the holiday season. A big crowd is expected, so attendees are asked to carpool.
