A stall from a previous Winterfest event. Photo: PS 84Q PTA.
Nov. 7, 2024 By Shane O’Brien
PS84Q, also known as the Steinway School, will host its third annual Winterfest holiday market at the beginning of December to raise funds for residencies and extra-curricular programs throughout the school year.
The school, located at 22-45 41st St., will host Winterfest in its cafeteria between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. More than 40 different vendors participated in each of the previous two festivals.
PS84Q’s PTA, which organizes Winterfest, is currently seeking vendors to take part in the upcoming festival, with an emphasis on jewelry, beauty products, holiday gifts, baked goods and crafts. The association is also prioritizing local makers in an attempt to promote local up-and-coming businesses.
Spaces at Winterfest cost $50, with all of the proceeds going toward the PTA.
Jaisy Diep, co-president of PS84Q’s PTA, said the proceeds from the event will help the PTA host residency programs at the school throughout the year. In the past, the PTA has sourced external programs such as art and dance classes for students at PS84Q.
Diep said the PTA has already secured a handful of vendors for the upcoming festival, selling a range of products including handmade jewelry, earrings and crochet pieces.
The event will also feature a selection of mocktails, soul food and baked goods for attendees to purchase, Diep said.
Meanwhile, the PTA aims to run family-friendly activities such as face-painting and a crafts table, where children can learn how to make certain crafts. Diep also hopes to book a Santa Claus for the event.
In the past, the event has drawn a diverse mix of vendors, such as Astoria-based bakery Crystal’s Confections and Little Art Studio, selling a variety of hand-printed cups and mugs. Students have also taken part in the event as vendors in the past, selling artwork, and a number of handmade items including keychains and earrings.
Diep added that the PTA also aims to promote local businesses and a sense of community spirit as well as raising money for residency programs throughout the academic year.
“We’re all about supporting small businesses wherever we can,” Diep said. “We really pride ourselves in our community and just helping out our local area. We love Astoria, so anything where we can promote our our community, we’re all for it.”
Diep added that the event helps PS84Q students get in the holiday spirit ahead of the winter break from school.
“It’s really nice because the kids get to come into the school building weekend,” Diep said. “We have an amazing set of parents that just go all out with decorations and we have the music playing. “It’s just a nice, fun event and we’re really looking forward to it.”
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