Thousands turn out for Handcrafted Holiday Market held at GoggleWorks in Reading

Dec. 3—When Mavis Pepperwhite started taking jewelry making and metal arts classes at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, she didn't know it would turn into her passion.

But that's what happened to the Wyomissing woman, who now rents studio space at the center and creates glass drip sculptures.

"Once I started making fused glass, I knew I needed to keep doing it," she said.

On Saturday she shared her talents with local children by helping them build Christmas ornaments from scraps of glass, and she was one of numerous GoggleWorks artists to take part in the center's first Handcrafted Holiday Market.

In the past the center hosted Arts Festival Reading around the holidays, but this year it tried something new and waived fees for the artists who set up displays and for visitors, a way to make the event more accessible to the community.

The goal is to connect local residents with local artists, and it was successful, with more than 2,000 attending, and many going home with art they either bought or made during artist-led workshops, GoggleWorks Executive Director Levi Landis said.

Dozens of visiting artists and craftspeople joined the center's 35 resident studio artists. Children and adults made wreaths, blew glass and enjoyed family music and activities, making the experience unique in Berks County, a way to draw and develop fine art collectors, Landis said.

"We want people to feel pride for their local artists," he said.

While the center's outdoor events — including the Spring Iron Pour and the recent Pumpkin Palooza, are its biggest draws — bringing thousands of visitors to downtown Reading, Saturday's event was one of the center's biggest held indoors since the COVID-19 pandemic ended, Landis said.

This year GoggleWorks announced a major redevelopment of its campus as an outdoor art park, with construction scheduled to begin in January and the park expected to open in May.

That will allow next year's holiday market to be even bigger, maybe running two days as a Christmas village, Landis said.

Among those attending this year were Billy Mack of Hamburg and his 4-year-old twins, daughter Kirby and son Felix, who enjoyed the singing and playing of Big Idea Committee, comprised of Christine Petrini and Melissa Brun.

His children enjoy like drawing and writing songs, and even started their own band named Applebox, so he knew they'd have fun.

"This will be an inspiration for them," he said.

Marley Boone of Exeter Township brought her daughter, 3-year-old Noelle, who made a paper snowflake ornament.

GoggleWorks planned the event well, she said, allowing parents to shop for Christmas gifts from local artists while their children made holiday crafts.

"I think it's great," she said.

As Katie Foltz of Wyomissing watched her children, Julia, 9; and Tyler, 5, begin to make clay Christmas trees, she spoke about how impressed she was with the art on display and being sold.

"They have some beautiful things here," she said.

Helping visitors make Christmas wreaths was garden manager Tiana Lopez, who spoke about how festive the day felt, and how much she appreciated it in the wake of the pandemic.

"We all want to feel that holiday joy again," she said.