HYANNIS – The 7th annual Love Local Fest: Holiday Edition has been postponed by a day due to inclement weather, but will still kick off the holidays by supporting local business.
The event will feature a pop-up, in-person event with 25 local Cape Cod vendors alongside a virtual component.
“Our intention is to connect local, makers, artists, artisans and brands with the consumer public,” said Amanda Converse, CEO of Love Live Local.
The Love Local Fests are traditionally also held in July in September, however the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic required both of them to be moved online.
“We really wanted to, for the holiday season, give them the opportunity to connect in person. So what used to be a one-day event is now a week-long event, and we’re kicking it off with an in-person event,” said Converse.
The in-person portion of the Holiday Edition Fest will follow strict guidelines put forth by the State of Massachusetts and the Town of Barnstable in order to ensure public safety, said Converse.
Only 100 shoppers per hour will be allowed into the pop-up vendor area, and Converse recommended that shoppers reserve a shopping slot online.
Walks-ins will also be accepted on the day of the event, however there is no guarantee of entry as those who pre-registered will receive priority.
“It’s definitely a scaled-down version. We usually have over a hundred vendors, but like much this year, we’ve had to scale back but still bring the quality that the people are looking for. It’s the perfect opportunity to shop local for the holidays and get some great gifts that are locally made by local brands,” said Converse.
The event also features an online component on the Love Live Local website, Love Local Fest Shoppers and Supporters Facebook Group and on the organization’s Instagram stories during the festival.
40 vendors are participating in the virtual festival, so shoppers could easily find different items for sale even if they visited the in-person event.
On Sunday, December 6, residents can support Cape Cod brands at the pop-up event in the parking lot of The West End from 10 am to 5pm.
Visitors can pre-register at the event’s Eventbrite link.
The virtual component will run through December 12.
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