Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Seaford Chamber of Commerce hosted its second consecutive indoor holiday fair at Memorare Caterers in Seaford on Nov. 16, displaying a full line of unique items sold by dozens of vendors.
“Last year, we did it indoors,” Margaret Grub, the chamber’s president, said. “It was such a hit, so we did it again this year.”
The event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., was attended by hundreds of residents and featured one-of-a-kind holiday items, as well as music, food and photos with Santa Claus. A box was set up outside to collect food items for Seaford High School’s Student Council food drive. It was the chamber’s fifth annual fair, but the second consecutive one held indoors.
“The feedback was terrific,” Grub said of the indoor fair. “The vendors like it because it's a lot warmer indoors than outdoors, and it's better for us. We can do it a little bit longer.”
Grub and Jebaily agreed that moving the event indoors has several benefits. “Indoors, you can take your time,” Grub said. “You can walk around. The kids get to sit with Santa and talk with him.”
Memorare Caterers, a banquet hall and event venue at 2183A Jackson Ave in Seaford, has been hosting a variety of special occasions for more than 60 years. The hall offers a cost-effective alternative for parties, weddings, and other celebrations, specializing in providing a single event at a time.
Forty-eight vendors, selling all different types of unique items such as candles, soaps, creams and ornaments, crowded the hall for the holiday fair. Grub added that “once we figured out how to put the vendors along the perimeter and then inside the rest of the room this year, it worked like a charm.”
One of the vendors was Mike Ervolino, owner of Mjedesigns, a Seaford-based business that creates custom laser-engraved and designed products like ornaments, cutting boards and decorative pieces. Ervolino, who just completed his second year at the fair, said he “definitely would” participate in the holiday fair again.
He added that while “a lot of foot traffic” was present, the event was “definitely well organized.” He also praised how the fair increased awareness for local businesses in the area.
“The social media presence is good. It's advertised well,” he said, explaining that he believes the fair makes “the community stronger and gets everybody involved.”
Ervolino added that he felt like shoppers were spending less this time compared to previous years. “The economy is hurting a little bit,” he said. “I don't think people are spending as much as the last few years.”
Jebaily acknowledged that while some people just show up to socialize and may not spend as much, she felt that the event fared well overall and residents spent on a similar level to previous holiday fairs.
“They browse, they schmooze, they talk to people,” she said. “Then you have your shoppers that are lined up at the door, and they're on a mission. So I feel it evens out in the end.”
Jebaily and Grub each had high praise for the dozens of vendors who attended the fair to peddle their wares. “There were a lot of handmade items, and we did get a lot of compliments that day,” Jebaily said. “People are looking for one-of-a-kind items, and that's one of the reasons they come to the markets.”
Grub complimented the variety of holiday-based gifts that the fair offered to shoppers, such as unique Christmas-themed dolls, Hanukkah, and Thanksgiving decorations . “They do Christmas, they do Hanukkah, they do Thanksgiving items,” she said. “It encompasses everything for the rest of the year.”
“We like to see our community come together,” Jebaily said. “It's a win-win situation for both. It's a day out for small business, and it's a day out for the community.”
To learn more about the chamber, visit SeafordChamberofCommerce.com.
