John Paul II High School, 900 Coit Ave., in Plano, TX will be transformed into a bustling Christmas wonderland marketplace perfect for holiday shopping when the JPIIHS Cardinal Women’s Auxiliary (CWA) hosts its 11th annual Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, November 23 from 9am and to 4pm. Over 3,000 guests are expected to attend the free-to-the-public event which boasts over 95 merchants.
John Paul II High School in Plano will be transformed into a bustling Christmas wonderland marketplace on Saturday, November 23 from 9am and to 4pm. The event and parking is free-to-the-public.
“We are adding new and different activities, merchants and food items this year. We can’t wait for our guests to see how hard the Bazaar committee has been working this year to make the JPII Christmas Bazaar bigger and better than last year,” said Bazaar Chairperson Liz Phillips.
This year marks the 11th Anniversary of the Bazaar. The first Christmas Bazaar was held in 2013 and had 95 merchants. Over the years the event has grown and evolved into the premier destination for holiday shoppers in Plano. Preparations begin in the spring and applications for merchant booths are accepted from July to August. Then the hard work begins in deciding on the merchants to feature each year. The committee combs through the applications and selects the merchants, focusing on unique products or services and those that complement the other offerings. There are several booths that the attendees look for each year and are the mainstay of the event. This year the Bazaar committee is bringing back last year’s very popular Photos With Santa & Mrs. Claus from 12:00pm to 3:30pm.
The JPII Christmas Bazaar major supporters include Card My Yard Plano and Good Life Family Magazine.
The JPII Christmas Bazaar is the sole fundraiser for the CWA, whose support funds 3 JPIIHS scholarships each year (Two for graduating seniors and one for Alumni). Additionally, the CWA makes contributions to school programs and special projects and is in the process of building and maintaining a memorial garden to commemorate Alumni and former faculty who have passed away.
The CWA is an association whose members are moms, grandmothers, and guardians of JPII Alumni. The seek-to-serve motto of the school is embodied in these volunteers who choose to continue supporting the school and its programs after their own students have graduated.
“When you have a student at John Paul II High School, you learn pretty quickly it’s more than a terrific school – it’s a family. A family rooted in faith, service, and community,” said CWA President Rhonda Gray.