It’s not too early to start planning holiday shopping, as the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation has announced a new feature for this year’s Christmas festivities in the city.

The first-ever Holly Days Arts and Crafts Show will be Dec. 6 in the SCHF auditorium at Crawford and Cherry streets. Featuring more than 35 vendors selling their creations, the event will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., leading into the annual downtown Christmas Parade of Lights at 5 p.m.

If you go

Holly Days Arts and Crafts Show, sponsored by the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation, will be Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the SCHF auditorium at Cherry and Crawford Streets. Admission is $1.

SCHF executive director Annette Kirklin said she was thrilled to see so many vendors participating in the first show. “We’ll have vendors from all over the state — Hazlehurst, Madison, Jackson and other cities — and from Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee, too. They’ll be selling some unique art. It will be a fun time for the family to come in and shop.”

Vicksburg artisans will include Deep South Tailgating selling art and clothing, Vicksburg Quilters, Joyous Fine Art, Fred and Betty Leist with wooden rockers and Tully Hall selling wooden toys.

MJ’s Kitchen Kreations will be one of the food vendors, and there will also be hot chocolate, coffee and snacks for sale, Kirklin said. Uptown Florists and Gifts will have a booth, as well as decorate the historic 1885 auditorium for the show.

Items will include photographs, handbags, jewelry, clothing, pottery, stained glass, frames, soaps, quilts and other hand-crafted and creative items. “These will be priced from the low end right on up,” Kirklin said. “A lot of work is behind what’s being created for this show.”

The annual Christmas Parade of Lights is sponsored by Vicksburg’s Main Street program. Main Street executive director Rosalie Theobald said, “We welcome the SCHF’s Holly Days Arts and Crafts Show, as it will enhance Vicksburg’s Annual Christmas Parade of Lights. The show will be an extra opportunity to shop downtown, where truly everything is waiting for you.”

Admission is $1. For more information, contact the SCHF office at 601-631-2997 or e-mail info@southernculture.org.