Christmas Mart returns to Maple Street Saturday

Shoppers will move between churches and the Lombard Historical Society along West Maple Street on Saturday for the annual Christmas Mart. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free admission, the Historical Society says.

The Society calls it a beloved Lombard tradition that brings together local artists, crafters, and vendors offering handmade gifts, holiday decorations, jewelry, and unique finds. Visitors can explore the participating churches and locations along Maple Street and stop by the Society’s Lilac Emporium Gift Shop for Lombard-themed gifts and holiday favorites.

New this year, the Historical Society is introducing the Historic Downtown Lombard mobile app. Shoppers can use it to browse participating vendors, find where they are located, and plan their stops from their phones. A digital Christmas Mart punch card in the app lets visitors collect punches as they visit participating locations and take part in the holiday shopping tradition.

The Village of Lombard’s calendar lists the Christmas Mart at the Lombard Historical Society at 23 W. Maple Street from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Daily Herald reported that the event returns with new digital tools, featuring local artists, crafters, and vendors selling unique gifts and holiday decorations at participating churches and locations throughout the historic downtown area.

For neighbors looking to start holiday shopping early, the Mart concentrates the options into a few hours in the heart of downtown. The free app can be downloaded ahead of the day, and the Society points to its Facebook page for additional details and updates.

The same Saturday morning, the Lombard Park District hosts its Pumpkin Smash from 9 a.m. to noon in the Lombard Common east parking lot at 433 E. St. Charles Road. The free event accepts pumpkins only—no excess paint, glitter, googly eyes, or candles—for composting. It is presented by the Lombard Junior Women’s Club, the Lombard Park District, the Village of Lombard, the Kiwanis Club, Waste Management, and SCARCE.

The park district notes that Illinois is the top pumpkin producer in the nation, making it practical to compost pumpkins rather than send them to a landfill where they would be wasted and create greenhouse gases. Residents can drop off leftover Halloween pumpkins before or after visiting the Mart.

Together the two events give residents practical options on a November Saturday: compost a pumpkin at Lombard Common, then head a short distance downtown for handmade goods. Admission to the Christmas Mart remains free, and the Historical Society encourages visitors to use the new app to make the most of the day.