At 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, three church halls in Vernon open their doors for holiday sales at the same time: First Congregational at 695 Hartford Turnpike, Trinity Lutheran on Meadowlark Road, and St. Bernard, which will already be on its second day. Between now and Dec. 5, eight holiday events spread across five weekends, each with its own hours. Some close at 2, some at 3, and one doesn't list a closing time.
In Vernon, the handmade-gift season is run by congregations, a historical society, an arts nonprofit and the town. Its schedule comes in clusters, so knowing which Saturday stacks which fairs is worth more than knowing any single address.
The 2026 Calendar at a Glance
| Date | Event | Location | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri.–Sat., Nov. 6–7 | St. Bernard Christmas Bazaar | St. Bernard Church Hall, 25 St. Bernard's Terrace | 9 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | First Congregational Church of Vernon Holiday Fair | 695 Hartford Turnpike | Opens 9 a.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | TLC Marketplace | Trinity Lutheran Church, 20 Meadowlark Road | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Nov. 12–15 and 19–22 | Holiday Artisan Fair | Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike | Varies by day |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | 5th Annual Holiday Craft Fair | Tolland County Agricultural Center, 24 Hyde Avenue | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Sat.–Sun., Nov. 28–29 | Vernon Historical Society Craft Fair | Call the Society for location | Sat. 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Winterfest | Central Park, Park Place, Rockville | 6–7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Ladies of St. Joseph Holiday Bazaar | St. Joseph Church, 33 West Street, Rockville | 9 a.m.–2 p.m. |
Put the dates side by side and three busy windows stand out: Saturday, Nov. 7; Thanksgiving weekend; and the first Friday and Saturday of December in Rockville. The Arts Center East fair runs across the two quieter weeks between the first two windows.
Saturday, Nov. 7 Puts Three Fairs in One Morning
This is the most crowded day on the calendar, and the closing times decide the best order. The First Congregational Church of Vernon's Holiday Fair is listed on Patch's Vernon calendar with a 9 a.m. start and no end time. Going there first is the safest bet.
A sequence that fits the posted hours:
- First Congregational Church of Vernon, 695 Hartford Turnpike, at opening. No closing time is listed, so earlier is safer.
- St. Bernard Christmas Bazaar, St. Bernard Church Hall, 25 St. Bernard's Terrace, before 2 p.m. This is the bazaar's second and final day. It also ran Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 to 2, so anyone free on Friday morning can go then and lighten Saturday.
- TLC Marketplace, Trinity Lutheran Church, 20 Meadowlark Road, before 3 p.m. It has the longest posted hours of the three, plus a cafe lunch served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Town of Vernon's event listing also mentions craft vendors, attic treasures, vintage and collectible items, gift baskets and baked goods.
Ending at Trinity Lutheran lines up lunch with the stop that stays open latest. The attic-treasures and vintage tables also make it a different kind of shopping from the two craft fairs before it.
Arts Center East Covers the Two Weeks In Between
After the first Saturday, the calendar goes quiet except at one address. Arts Center East, at 709 Hartford Turnpike, holds its annual Holiday Artisan Fair over two long weekends, Nov. 12–15 and Nov. 19–22. Patch reported more than 50 local and regional artisans selling jewelry, pottery, fiber arts, photography, handcrafted accessories and home décor.
The hours change by day of the week, which is easy to miss:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Thursday and Friday | 1–5 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Sunday | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. |
Along with St. Bernard's Friday morning, these Thursday and Friday afternoons are the only weekday chances to shop a fair this season. The bigger planning point is the end date. The fair's last day is Sunday, Nov. 22, four days before Thanksgiving. It does not overlap with the Thanksgiving weekend fairs, so anyone hoping to buy from Arts Center East's makers needs to go before the holiday. Details are on the Arts Center East website.
The address matters too. Arts Center East sits at 709 Hartford Turnpike, the First Congregational fair at 695, and the Vernon Historical Society at 734. Three of the season's organizers are within a few dozen street numbers of each other on the same road.
Thanksgiving Weekend Moves North to Hyde Avenue
The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, is the second busy window. The 5th Annual Holiday Craft Fair runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tolland County Agricultural Center, 24 Hyde Avenue. The Patch listing notes free admission, local makers and a bake sale.
The Vernon Historical Society's Craft Fair keeps the same Saturday hours, 9 to 3, and adds Sunday, Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If the Saturday hours overlap, Sunday at the Historical Society is the fallback for anyone who spends Saturday at the Agricultural Center.
The Historical Society fair works differently from a booth fair. According to the Vernon Historical Society's website, crafters register in advance, drop their work off ahead of time and fill out an inventory sheet, and they "do not have to be at the sale." The Society runs the sale for them.
The Society is also collecting donations for its returning "Nearly New" tables, with proceeds supporting its work of collecting and preserving local history. Donations go to 734 Hartford Turnpike (Route 30) on Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m., and the second and fourth Sundays of the month from 2 to 4 p.m. The Society's site gives that address for donations but doesn't name the fair's venue. For the location or anything else about the fair, call 860-875-4326.
Rockville Closes the Season on a Friday Night and a Saturday Morning
The third window falls on back-to-back days in downtown Rockville. Winterfest runs Friday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Central Park on Park Place. The Town of Vernon calendar lists a fire-truck parade, a tree lighting, the Fox Hill Tower snowflake lighting, music and singing.
The parade affects traffic. Last year the town posted a traffic-diversion notice on Dec. 1, 2025, with detours through downtown streets for the evening. Anyone driving through Rockville on Dec. 4 should check the town's website that week for this year's version.
The next morning, the Ladies of St. Joseph Holiday Bazaar runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 33 West Street, Rockville. The town's listing describes it as a craft and vendor fair. It's the last fair on the calendar, and it comes the morning after the tree lighting, a few blocks away.
Lunch on the Same Road
Hartford Turnpike has a new place to eat between fairs. Taste of African Cuisine, at 200 Hartford Turnpike, celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 2. Patch reported that Mayor Dan Champagne and members of the Town Council joined owners Irene Acheampong and Ernest Nyarko for the ribbon cutting.
The menu includes jollof, waakye, fried rice, kenkey, fufu with soup and banku dishes. The restaurant opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday. That makes it a lunch option for Nov. 7, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and the Saturdays of the Arts Center East fair, but not for either fair Sunday. Saturday closing times differ between sources, so call ahead before planning a late meal.
A bakery stop is on the way, with no opening date yet. Doro Marketplace has signed a lease at 212 Talcottville Road, next to Toor Wine & Liquor. Patch reported that the company's design team was still working on building and health permits and gave no opening date. Shaun Gately, Vernon's director of development services, told the outlet, "They put out a great product." The West Hartford-based Doro Restaurant Group runs it as a European-style bakery, cafe and prepared-food market with breads, pastries, espresso drinks, sandwiches, soups and grab-and-go meals.
Three Windows to Mark
For anyone planning only a few outings, three windows cover most of the season. On Saturday, Nov. 7, three fairs share one morning, with St. Bernard also open Friday. Thanksgiving weekend has the Agricultural Center on Saturday and the Historical Society through Sunday. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5, bring Winterfest and the St. Joseph bazaar to Rockville. Arts Center East fills the gap between the first two, but only through Nov. 22.
At Pam Moriarty Real Estate, we follow Vernon's calendar closely, from church-hall bazaars to the Winterfest tree lighting, because that local knowledge matters when a home question comes up. If you're starting to think about your next move in Vernon or a nearby town, schedule a free consultation.
