JOPLIN, Mo. — The holidays are happening on the campus of Missouri Southern. Specifically, the first annual “Holiday Happenings Celebration” kicked off this afternoon with a maker’s market craft fair.

The event is free and open to both students and community members. Hundreds of creative handmade items were for sale inside the Billingsly Student Center as part of a larger campus-wide celebration.

“We’ve got honey here. We’ve got vendors that have glassware here. We have jewelry here. All of it’s handmade. Some of it is upcycled as well,” said Ryan Orcutt, Director of Global Leaders and Student Engagement.

“Well, I have stained glass. I have some tree ornaments and some other nature scenes that I’ve made,” said Marc Daczewitz, Vendor.

Carriage rides, a tree lighting ceremony, Christmas karaoke, and the movie “A Christmas Story” will round out the “Holiday Happenings” celebration this evening.