The St. Nicholas Festival, craft fair, tree and greenery sale is a 30-year tradition, community celebration and fundraising event that takes place in early December at the St. Nicholas Church Campus in Evanston.
The festival highlights symbols of the patron saint Nicholas — Santa prepared to meet with children in the parish school, hundreds of Christmas trees arrived from the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia and the bakery booth was filled with donated baked goods made by parishioners.
The holiday festival involved participation from over 150 volunteers and represented an important annual fundraiser supporting all ministries of the St. John XXIII Parish.
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The St. John XXIII Parish is a united parish of St. Nicholas Church and St. Mary’s Church of Evanston, which merged in 2021, as part of the Renew my Church program of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
“St. Nick’s Fest captures the spirit of giving, community and love, that we all aspire to share during this season,” said Sally Clark Arden, publicity and volunteer coordinator for the event. “This event is really for the community in which we live and serve.”
This year’s festival kicked-off with a visit from Bishop Nicholas on Friday evening followed by a tree lighting ceremony. On Saturday and Sunday the church grounds were transformed into a wonderland of Christmas trees, greenery, crafts, Mexican food, baked goods and more.
Handmade goods were sold from over 70 crafters, filling two buildings with gift items for children and adults including jewelry, knitwear, pottery, woodworking, seasonal décor and much more.
Sarah Zematis of Evanston attended the festival with family.
“These handmade gifts are really one of a kind, and I look forward to the chance once every year to shop here for the holidays,” Zematis said.
Homemade Mexican food, hot drinks and bakery items were all available for sale to shoppers.
A Christmas tree and greenery sale took advanced orders for over 500 Christmas trees — Frasers, Balsams, and Scotch pines — cut only days before their arrival. Greenery including wreaths, roping, and poinsettias fresh from Anton’s Greenhouses of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
Arden says they hope to raise $40,000 over the weekend event with proceeds going to support the Pope John XXII School’s religious education programs along with local community outreach programs for immigrants, Alcoholics Anonymous, Interfaith Action of Evanston, mission trips, soup kitchens and others.
Father Robert Oldershaw, pastor emeritus of Pope John XXII, founded St. Nick’s Fest.
Oldershaw says it only made sense to honor St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, sailors and maidens, known for his generosity and kindness.
“The wonder of this event is that it brings everyone together, and we pass it on from generation to generation, it offers us joy, at a time when our world so desperately needs it,” Oldershaw said.
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.