UNION — For 15 years, the annual Mother’s Day Bazaar at St. Paul’s Calvary United Church of God has been more than a shopping event; it has been a place where community comes together, reconnects, and celebrates a tradition that has grown stronger with time.
That tradition returns Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Union church. Families, neighbors and visitors will once again gather for a day centered on fellowship, local businesses and community spirit.
“It’s like a reunion,” said church member and longtime attendee Kenneth Wakefield. “People come together, meet new people and feel like they belong. It’s just a wonderful day.”
What first began as a small fundraiser, with only a handful of vendors and mostly church
members in attendance, has evolved into one of the area’s most anticipated spring gatherings.
Through word of mouth, returning entrepreneurs and loyal attendees, the bazaar has become a cherished local staple. For organizer Dessie Wakefield, Kenneth Wakefield’s wife, that history is what makes the event special.
“It has become something people look forward to every year,” Wakefield said. “People know they’re going to see familiar faces, support one another and enjoy being part of something positive.”
While visitors can expect dozens of vendors offering jewelry, clothing, fragrances, home décor, gifts and food, organizers say the real draw is the atmosphere created each year when the community gathers under one roof.
“We’ve watched it grow from something small into something special,” Dessie Wakefield said. “People come not just to shop, but because they know they’ll have a good time and feel welcomed.”
That environment has helped the bazaar remain successful for more than a decade.
Many vendors now return year after year, while new business owners join to introduce themselves to local shoppers.
“The success is really the impact it’s having on the community,” Kenneth Wakefield said. “Being able to be together, meet people, and just enjoy the day.”
Taking place each year ahead of Mother’s Day, the event also carries emotional meaning for many who attend. Some come searching for gifts, while others come to honor mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in their lives.
“You have people who come to celebrate their mothers, people who have lost their mothers and people who come to honor mother figures in their lives,” Kenneth Wakefield said. “You hear different stories from different people, and it has just become a community event.”
Dessie Wakefield said that sense of love and appreciation fits perfectly with the event’s purpose. “Mother’s Day is a time when people want to show love,” she said. “This gives people a place to do that while also supporting local businesses and being together.”
Admission is free at the church, located at 2780 Vauxhall Road, Union.
Article by Destiny Maury
Photo Courtesy of Dessie Wakefield
