Winter wonderland: Captains Collection's Christmas pop-up market opens in Kennebunkport
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — Not in the holiday spirit just yet? Head to the Kennebunkport Captains Collection and step inside its pop-up gift market and Christmas festival. That should do the trick.
Set up inside and around the barn at the Nathaniel Lord’s Carriage House at 6 Pleasant St., the market and festival are among the latest attractions in the town’s beloved, annual Christmas Prelude tradition.
On Monday, Kristen Caouette, the Collection’s general manager, stood inside the barn and beheld the holiday cheer that surrounded her.
“It’s a quintessential New England Christmas,” she said, referring to the barn’s holiday décor and rustic feel.
Owned by Lark Hotels, of Amesbury, Massachusetts, The Kennebunkport Captains Collection is comprised of hotels at four historic homes once occupied by ship captains, all located within the same, tight-knit block, just a short walk from Dock Square.
The collection was formed in 2020, tying together four bed-and-breakfast inns that previously had operated separately. Given the health and safety restrictions that forced scaled-back Preludes in 2020 and 2021, this is the first holiday season in which the Collection was ready and able to become a part of the local Christmas tradition.
“We just really wanted to participate in the town’s festivities and bring people into this historic neighborhood,” Caouette said. “Kennebunkport is magical enough – just to be involved and included with Prelude is a wonderful thing.”
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The market had a soft opening on Thursday, Dec. 1, and will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the end of Prelude this Sunday, Dec. 11. Afterward, the market will remain open on a more varied, accommodating basis through Christmas – you can just head to the main office inside the mansion and ask to be admitted into the barn, Caouette said.
The barn, built in the 1800s, is used primarily for storage throughout the rest of the year, but is now unquestionably a winter wonderland. A lit fire pit, ringed with chairs, is near the entrance, wafting warmth your way before you head inside the market.
Indoors, the market is divided into two sections, one for relaxing activities and another for browsing and shopping. Classic Christmas tunes play softly on the sound system.
On your left, there are tables where you can make wreaths or decorate ornaments for your Christmas tree back home. One wall is adorned with a variety of floral arrangements to affix to your wreath. There are complimentary refreshments on this side: cocoa, candy, cider, popcorn, frosted pretzels, cookies and more.
On your right, there are all kinds of goods for sale. Vintage jackets and blazers. Toys. Books. Soaps. Candles. Games. Small, ready-to-plant Christmas trees. Winter hats. Mugs. Thick socks. T-shirts. There are enough gifts to stuff stockings and fill underneath your tree.
In the central area of the barn, there are couches where you can sit and stay awhile, whether to chat with friends or play such board games as Clue, Scrabble and Sorry.
“On Saturday, we had two couples that came in with a deck of cards,” Caouette said. “They set up shop and played for like an hour. That was really great.”
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While admission to activities inside the barn is free, the Collection is collecting suggested donations of $5 per person to go towards Maine Children’s Home, to help provide holiday gifts for families in need this season.
For more information about festivities at the market, visit online at https://www.larkhotels.com/prelude-2022 .
Outside the barn, there are five “igloos,” clear, domed, heated enclosures that you can rent for two hours for $75. Inside are chairs where you can wrap yourself in a blanket, sit, read, shut your eyes, play a board game, chat with friends, or enjoy cheese and crackers.
Caouette said the market has proven popular so far. She added that the Collection plans to open the market during next year’s Prelude, as well, and even add more activities to the schedule.
“We hope that people really do enjoy coming here and getting in that holiday spirit,” Caouette said.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Captains Collection's Christmas pop-up market opens in Kennebunkport
