Thousands crowd Elk Grove streets for 36th annual Dickens Street Fair
ELK GROVE - Small Business Saturday is a day for folks to shop local while checking things off their holiday lists.
It wasn't just the hot deals that brought shoppers out. An annual event brought thousands to the streets of Elk Grove.
A very merry start to the holiday season as Santa and Mrs. Claus traveled from the North Pole to Elk Grove.
"It's nice to have a little break from the chaos of the North Pole right now," Santa Claus said.
The two made the trek for the 36th annual Dickens Street Fair where small business owners were working just as hard as the elves.
"We've been working for a couple of weeks on this because you have to make sure that you have to order everything and all of our holiday stuff in, our bags, our boxes, our bows," said Erica Jordan, owner of Trende Boutique.
The event brought over a hundred vendors to the streets of Elk Grove Boulevard, creating a one-stop shop for the community.
"It's a tradition for us to come out in Elk Grove," Nitza Medina-Garcia said. "We've been coming for 11 years."
For small business owners, it was a chance to secure holiday sales – which can make or break whether they stay afloat.
"I get almost all of my sales from doing events like this," said Theresa Delp, owner of Briar Rose Emporium. "Pretty much every weekend I do events like this. These types of events, if they were not around, I would not be able to have my business."
It's a cherished tradition for families, building memories as they secure gifts to put under the tree.
"We come here, get Santa photos, get our hot cocoa and just make sure to have fun," Delp said.
