Campus Square - Lehigh University

We are always interested in bringing new and interesting vendors to the Bethlehem Farmer’s Market:

If you:

1. Create and/or produce local goods

2. Like to meet new people

3. Can attend the 2009 Market on Thursdays, time TBD, June - September

… we’d love to have you!

Access an application HERE

Lehigh University’s Microfinance Club supported the efforts of artisans around the world by bringing a festival sale featuring handmade gifts, home decor, jewelry and personal accessories to the Lehigh University Bookstore during the first week of December. The event, which was held in the Café in the Bookstore, offered a unique opportunity for people in the Lehigh Valley to invest in their world by shopping fair trade. 

This was the first year that the Microfinance Club hosted the festival, and all of the monies raised were sent directly back to Ten Thousand Villages. By hosting the sale, the club had the option of retaining a portion of the funds, but chose to send all $3012 back to the non-profit organization. 

Sale organizer Puja Parekh explained the decision, “We didn’t ever think about doing the sale to make a profit for our club. We just wanted to do it because it’s a chance to help create employment opportunities for people around the world.”  

Additionally, the Barnes & Noble Café encouraged people to shop the sale by offering half priced beverages to those who could show a receipt from buying something at the sale.  

Popular items that got purchased quickly included jewelry, holiday ornaments, and incense. Less popular items were wicker baskets and musical instruments. Overall, two of the three tables covered in merchandise sold by Saturday, when the club packed up the few remaining items to ship back to Ten Thousand Villages. 

Festival sales like the one sponsored by the Microfinance Club owe their success to dedicated local volunteers. Microfinance recruited volunteers from other Lehigh organizations to man the register, restock the items, and open and close the sale each day. There was always one executive member from the Microfinance Club represented at the sale as well.

The Microfinance Club is planning to host another sale next year between Thanksgiving and winter break. For more information about Ten Thousand Villages, please visit www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php. 

Lehigh University’s Microfinance Club will support the efforts of artisans around the world by bringing a festival sale featuring handmade gifts, home decor, jewelry and personal accessories to the Lehigh University Bookstore. The event, which will be held on December first though fifth from noon to eight pm at the Café in the Bookstore, offers a unique opportunity for people in the Lehigh Valley to invest in their world by shopping fair trade. Shoppers will also learn more about skilled artisans in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

This is the first year that the Microfinance Club has hosted the festival. Sale organizer Puja Parekh says, “For more than 60 years Ten Thousand Villages has worked with talented artisans around the world providing vital, fair income in exchange for their beautiful handcrafted items. By holding this sale of handpainted ceramics, intricately woven basketry and handmade jewelry, we give the Lehigh community a chance to help create employment opportunities for people around the world.”

The Bookstore currently has one mini-display set up so those interested can stop in to see some of the merchandise that will be featured. Additionally, the Barnes & Noble Café is stepping up to encourage people to shop the sale. Steve Schatten, general manager of the Bookstore, says that “customers can get one half-price beverage with any Ten Thousand Villages purchase” during the sale days. The buyer must present the receipt from Ten Thousand Villages to Café baristas to get the half-price drink.

Sales like the one sponsored by the Microfinance Club owe their success to dedicated local volunteers. Microfinance is currently accepting Lehigh students as volunteers to help unpack the crafts, serve as sales clerks, and clean up following the event.

During the event, items can be purchased with cash or GoldPlus only. There is an ATM on site.

Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade retailer of artisan-crafted home decor, personal accessories and gift items from across the globe. Featuring products from more than 130 artisan groups in some 36 countries, we are part of a network of more than 150 retail outlets throughout the United States selling Ten Thousand Villages products. For more than 60 years, Ten Thousand Villages has been establishing long-term buying relationships in places where skilled artisans lack opportunities for stable income. All artisans are fairly paid for their products.

For information regarding the festival sale, please contact Brynn Buskirk at brb207@lehigh.edu or 610-758-4652. For more information about Ten Thousand Villages, please visit www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php. 

Campus Square was one of the participating venues for New Bethany Ministries’ Luminaria Night on December 13, 2008. For the eleventh year in a row, Luminaries lined the streets throughout Bethlehem’s neighborhoods and shopping districts.

All proceeds from the event benefited New Bethany Ministries, a Faith-Based Agency that provides care and services to poor, homeless, hungry and mentally ill people in the Lehigh Valley. Last year, the project raised $34,000 by lighting almost 2,300 homes and businesses.

Thank you to Lehigh’s Office of Community and Regional Affairs, and several student volunteers for creating the lovely display at Campus Square!