CHRISTMAS CHEER
Thousands come out to attend Victorian Christmas Market in Charlottetown
Islanders pulled out their Santa hats and got into a festive mood on the weekend with no shortage of ways to begin spreading some holiday cheer.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in P.E.I.
Islanders pulled out their Santa hats and got into a festive mood on the weekend with no shortage of ways to begin spreading some holiday cheer.
Thousands went through the second annual Victorian Christmas Market, which had a portion of Queen Street blocked off for the weekend.
“They have a lot of activities for the kids… and it’s a great way to spend time with the family to start the Christmas season,” said Pearl Tanada.
The event also saw free horsedrawn wagon rides, carollers, classic Christmas movies at City Cinema and even some visits from Santa Claus.
Crowds also didn’t have to deal with any wintery weather, as temperatures hovered around 10 degrees on Saturday.
However, those warm temperatures didn’t stop ice sculptor Abe Waterman from making some creations.
Many gathered throughout the afternoon to watch Waterman chip, chisel and chainsaw at blocks of ice to transform them into works of art.
“It’s going pretty good. As long as the ice is in the shade it lasts a little while and there’s a good crowd out. The nice thing about when it’s warm is the ice polishes itself, it looks really nice and clear,” said Waterman while working on a sculpture.
“Usually you would polish (an ice sculpture) either with your hand or a bit of water just to get that really clear look to it. It’s a bit frustrating nothing lasts… but it’s also hard to complain about 10 degree weather at the end of November.”
Herbalist Rita MacDonald, of Little Harbour’s Beauty and the Bees, was a first-year vendor at the market and was impressed with the event.
MacDonald was selling a number of skin care products
“It’s going pretty good. As long as the ice is in the shade it lasts a little while and there’s a good crowd out. The nice thing about when it’s warm is the ice polishes itself, it looks really nice and clear. Usually you would polish (an ice sculpture) either with your hand or a bit of water just to get that really clear look to it. It’s a bit frustrating nothing lasts… but it’s also hard to complain about 10 degree weather at the end of November.” Abe Waterman
and candles made with P.E.I. honey and beeswax, as well as a number of Christmas-themed loose leaf and flowering teas with names like “Elves Delight,” and “Chair Christmas.”
“Everybody is in a good mood here,” said MacDonald.
“It’s very good, I can’t complain at all.”
The timing of the market was also ideal for many as sort of a transition into that evening’s 19th Charlottetown Christmas Parade.
“It’s a great time to have this now and the Christmas Parade right after. We make a day of it,” said Tanada.
“It’s (becoming) our yearly thing.”
After his visit to the Victorian Christmas Market, Santa later
said hello to thousands who lined Charlottetown’s streets for the parade.
The parade, which saw a number of new entries this year, saw Canada Post employees collect letters throughout the route for Santa.
Other volunteers for Upper Room Food Bank non-perishable items.
Throughout the route Santa also promised to return back in one month on Dec. 25.