In the season of giving, what better gift to give than buying something that supports your neighbor?
Annya Brown’s “Natural Annie Essentials” is one of the 16 small, local businesses setting up shop on the New Haven Green Thursday through Sunday.
This year’s “Holiday Village” is the first time in more than 200 years commerce will commence on The Green.
“The entire community wants to see The Green used more frequently and activated more to reflect the vibrancy of the New Haven community and this is just one new step forward to making that happen,” said Wyn Davis, Exec. Dir. for Town Green Special Services District.
Brown runs her business out of her Bridgeport home, but she’s looking forward to selling her sweet-smelling candles that will transport you to her native Jamaica and elsewhere on the New Haven Green, as is Justin Moore.
“It’s going to be great. It’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait,” said Moore, an artist creating for East Street Arts in New Haven.
“We’re part of a nonprofit called Marrakech and we serve individuals of all abilities and so we have artists here working on block printing and screen printing,” said East Street Arts Director of Creative Development Eric Ginnish.
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A percentage of what you purchase from their booth goes back to artists like Moore and the nonprofit.
“For them to be able to be part of the community and get to see people buying their stuff that will be great too,” said Ginnish.
“We’re so excited about giving these small entrepreneurs, some foot traffic that they wouldn’t otherwise have, said Cathy Graves, Deputy Director of Economic Development for the City of New Haven.
This year’s addition of the Holiday Village is a gift that keeps on giving for shoppers and these small businesses.
“They just enjoy supporting the community and what we’re out here doing. It’s fun,” said Brown.
And it’s not just shopping that will be happening for four days, “we’re having the carousel, we’re having the ferris wheel, people will be able to see from all over the area that there’s exciting stuff on the green not just at the tree lighting, but Friday, Saturday, and Sunday following,” said Gerry Garcia, Business Councilor for the City of New Haven.