HALLE-BRATION 2018, A FREE Holiday Festival & Market, Is Now 2 Days – December 7-8

CINCINNATI - Nov. 17, 2018 - PRLog -- Halle-Bration, the city's largest free holiday festival and market has expanded to TWO days – Friday and Saturday, December 7-8. On Friday, hours are 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at New Vision UMC, 4400 Reading Rd., 45229, Bond Hill. The event is FREE and open to the public. No pre-registration is required.

This year's joyous celebration of the holiday season includes a new Friday evening session, featuring entertainment, education sessions and shopping at the more than 60 vendor booths. From 5-7 p.m., there will be a "Jazz Social Hour" featuring Jazz Saxophonist Ed "SAX" Thomas and The Muzic Company on the main stage, along with finger foods, delicious nonalcoholic "mocktails," fun and fellowship.

Also, on Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., BonSecours Mercy Health will present a ManUP Men's Prostate Health session in the Bridges Room and Chuck Futel, financial advisor and Primerica independent sales executive, will facilitate a "Wealth Creation in Our Community" workshop.

On Saturday, those who visit will enjoy a full day of unique gift shopping at more than 60 vendor booths on two floors, great food concessions, free entertainment provided by at least seven acts, children's crafts and activities, a visit from Santa Claus, free toys for children who attend and a Community Business Showcase, highlighting African American owned service businesses. Also, our Bronze sponsor, Accelerate Great Schools, will present a workshop "Play to Win for Kids! A Look at Education." More than 1,500 people are expected to attend.

"We call it Halle-Bration because it's a hallelujah celebration of the holidays," explained Kathye Lewis, co-chair of the even. "It's a huge Christmas holiday marketplace and festival, with clothing, hats, handbags, specially designed ornaments and unique gifts. We don't call it a Christmas bazaar, because a bazaar is associated with small craft items. We screen our vendors and the merchandise they will offer, to make sure everything is very high quality. We don't have duplicate booths either."

Presenters of the event are: New Vision UMC, the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce and the Collective Empowerment Group of Cincinnati. Gold Level Sponsors are: First Financial Bank, Fifth Third Bank, BonSecours Mercy Health and Fifth Third Bank. Silver Sponsor is AARP Cincinnati, and Bronze Sponsors are: Accelerate Great Schools, Closing the Health Gap and UC Health. Media sponsors are The Cincinnati Herald and 1050 WGRI-AM and WGRI-FM.

The purpose of the sixth annual event is to provide a free family friendly community event celebrating the Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's holiday season, along with providing a showcase of Greater Cincinnati African American owned businesses in the Community Business Showcase.

The event started in 2013 with 30 vendors and about 200 people in attendance. It has continued to grow each year, as more families hear about it, and more vendors want to come and display their wares for holiday shoppers. The event now boasts more than 60 vendors, and about 1,500 people are expected to attend.

It's an event like no other in the city. Santa will visit and give out free toys to the first 200 kids. Edibles and Such will provide scrumptious food concessions. The vendors will display their wares for sale, including:  "Imagination Dolls," handcrafted Black dolls by Debbie Hillson; inspirational books and bibles; women's and men's fashions; custom jewelry; custom made designer T-shirts created on the spot by Patty Speed; natural hair and skincare products; and baked delights like carrot cupcakes, pound cakes and New York style cheesecake, and many more.

No pre-registration needed. For vendor space or information, call 513-961-4817 or www.newvision-umc.org.