The community looks forward to Winterfest," said Ferne Silberman, describing the annual Mount Joy event. "It's really a community event, and so many groups come together to make it happen."

Winterfest will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, along Main Street in Mount Joy, from Market to Barbara streets.

This year's event features an earlier start time than past years, and it will also showcase an expanded area.

"The road has always been closed down to Barbara Street, but we've never had anything from the clock down to Barbara Street," said Linda Eberly, event volunteer. "This year, we're adding a holiday market that's going to be in that area."

The market will feature at least 15 vendors, all specializing in unique goods.

"These are artisans with handcrafted items," Eberly shared. "Most of them are local, and they will sell jewelry, pottery, painted gourds, wooden items, candles, glassware. It's all quality items and a variety of items."

Winterfest will also host a food court set up on Delta Street with overflow onto East Main Street. Participants will include Blue Stone Bakery, Bube's Brewery, Noel's Cafe, Piper Belles BBQ, Rotary Club Fry Wagon, Savory's Pumpkin Funnel Cakes, Spud Muffin, The Donut Guys, Two Cousin's and the Mount Joy Lions Club. Local restaurants within the event area will also be open during the day, as well as Mount Joy retail establishments. JB Hostetter & Sons will provide tables and chairs in the food court area.

The Reist popcorn wagon will give away popcorn at the entrance to the holiday market, and Santa Claus will greet children and hand out treats at Sheetz Funeral Home. He will be joined by clowns creating balloon art.

Additional children's activities will be staged at Mount Joy Church of God and will include a petting zoo, featuring Valais black-nosed sheep and alpacas; a Little Shoppers area for children to purchase cash-only gifts; face painting by Faith Outreach Center; a train layout; a RAISE28 prize wheel; a Bible2School giant prize snowman; a Fellowship of Christian Athletes penguin craft; and Little Notes music and instruments for kids to play. Members 1st will also sponsor a coloring contest. Coloring pages can be picked up at the Members 1st table at Winterfest.

The festivities will also feature a variety of entertainment for people of all ages.

"The music lineup is terrific," said Silberman, who is the event chair. "Susquehanna Stage is going to perform musical selections from 'Frozen.' We're also bringing back children's choirs from the local churches."

The main stage, located in front of the borough office, is sponsored by Guardian Barriers and will feature entertainment beginning at 1:30 p.m. Groups in order of appearance will be Ukulele Uprising, Trinity Lutheran Church children's choir, Guitars on Main, Susquehanna Stage, Mary Mother of the Church children's choir, SweetLife Music, Sandy Heisey on the keyboard, Donegal Rhythm Singers and Donegal Alumni Band.

The alumni band will lead the crowd from the stage to the Rotary Clock for a carol sing-along followed by a tree-lighting ceremony. Chris Silvestri from Members 1st, the event's major sponsor, will serve as master of ceremonies for the tree lighting, which will end the evening.

The Mount Joy Borough Police Department will hold a Toys for Tots gift drive located at Marietta Notary, and Fire Department Mount Joy will have apparatus on-site.

Tables from nearly 50 local nonprofit organizations, school groups and churches will be set up throughout the downtown area. Many of the groups will sell items as a fundraiser for their organizations. Mount Joy-area businesses will also have stands with promotional materials, prize wheels, drawings and giveaways.

Silberman and Eberly noted that it takes a large group of volunteers to pull off a successful event. Event leadership is made up of people from the Rotary Club, Lions, Kiwanis, Voyage Mount Joy, Friends of Donegal and Mount Joy Area Chamber of Commerce, along with other volunteers.

In addition to Members 1st, event sponsors include Gold Sponsor The Gathering Place.

Eberly noted that organizers received positive feedback when they moved last year's event earlier in the day, and they decided to build on that this year, starting even earlier.

"Winterfest is a great community event for people of all ages," she said. "It's a great time to come out, support local organizations and businesses, get in the holiday spirit and have fun."

For more information, search for "Voyage Mount Joy" on Facebook.