From horse-drawn wagon rides to a brisket cook-off, the sixth annual Christmas at Kraybill Craft Fair and Celebration will offer holiday fun for the whole family. The event will be held on Saturday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kraybill Mennonite School, 598 Kraybill Church Road, Mount Joy.

More than 45 local artisans, crafters and vendors will be featured at the fair, selling handmade items such as hand-turned wooden bowls, jewelry, quilts, ornaments, home decor, local honey, children's toys and books and more.

"Attendees enjoy the festive atmosphere and great variety of vendors that we have each year at the craft fair," said Trish Hopper, Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) volunteer and event coordinator. "It's a great place to do some Christmas shopping."

Along with shopping, the celebration will feature horse-drawn wagon rides. "The Clydesdale-drawn wagon rides are a highlight of the event with Christmas carols playing on the wagon," Hopper shared. "Donations are being accepted for the wagon rides, with all proceeds going to Mennonite Disaster Service to support their relief efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene."

Kraybill will host a baked goods stand and will sell gingerbread cookie decorating kits, containing gingerbread man cookies, icing and decorations.

The event will also feature the third annual brisket and chili cook-off.

"The chili and brisket cook-off was the idea of several parents at the school that thought a cook-off would add to the enjoyment and attendance of our Christmas at Kraybill event," Hopper shared. "Gene Wenger's Meats and Fine Foods of Elizabethtown donates over 100 pounds of brisket that is then cooked by the competitors. This competition is for home chefs rather than restaurants and is very popular." Prizes are awarded to the first-place winners of the cook-off for best chili and best brisket.

Proceeds from the Christmas event will benefit the PTF. "This is the main fundraiser for Kraybill's Parent Teacher Fellowship committee, which supports other special educational and extracurricular events at the school, including roller skating nights for students, family picnics and special acts of appreciation for our teachers and staff," Hopper said. "The concession stand is a special fundraiser to support the seventh- and eighth-grade trip to Philadelphia."

Holding an event like this helps the school connect to people beyond its walls, Hopper noted. "Kraybill values our whole community," she said. "This event allows current and past families along with our broader community an opportunity to fellowship together while supporting local artisans and businesses."

The brisket and chili cook-off is open to the public to enter, with a deadline of Thursday, Nov. 14. Tastings will be open to the public starting at 11 a.m. on Nov. 23 and will be offered until sold out. Winners will be announced by 1 p.m. at the event.

More information about the event, including how to enter the cook-off and preorder gingerbread cookie kits, may be found by searching for "Christmas at Kraybill" on Facebook.