Christmas in July: New organizer brings community-first spirit to vineyard events

Rolling in on a bright red 1950s Willys-Overland Jeepster with a baseball cap, a Christmas-themed aloha shirt and Mrs. Claus in the back, Santa had come to town and he was ready to get Running Brook Vineyard in the holiday spirit Saturday, July 26.

“Vineyard Vibes: Christmas in July” was the third community event hosted at the vineyard, located at 335 Old Fall River Road, by Seth Viveiros this year.

For Viveiros, organizing these events isn’t about turning a profit — it’s about creating a space where people want to stay, relax and enjoy themselves.

“That way, it's a better atmosphere for everybody,” he said. “It’s community driven. I want everybody to succeed.”

Viveiros, who also participates as a vendor selling his own photography, said that too often, community markets leave visitors with little to do beyond walking in circles and browsing booths. His approach is to make the experience more engaging and as accessible as possible.

“I want everything to be as free as possible, basically,” he said.

His third event of the year, “Vineyard Vibes: Christmas in July,” brought holiday spirit to a summer day, complete with live music, food trucks, games, a wide range of vendors and, of course, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.

With rainy weather spoiling some plans in May and a busy calendar of graduations and celebrations in June, Viveiros said July turned out to be the “sweet spot” and the crowd showed it.

“It’s hard because it’s a hit or a miss and a lot of the vendors that have been doing this for a while, they understand that,” he said.

Viveiros plans to keep things going, with another event scheduled later in the year and one definitely happening in October — both dates to be announced.

Among those at Saturday’s event was Mary Lou DeFretis of Westport, who brought her two nephews for an afternoon of music and games.

“It’s something fun for the kids to do,” she said. “They have been dying to do cornhole.”

It was her first time visiting the vineyard and she noted how much she loved the grounds and the “very festive atmosphere.”

Vanessa Chaput of Acushnet came with her six-year-old dog, Buddy, and said she enjoyed the relaxing setup.

“I like sitting under a tree and having a breeze and listening to music and if I want to get a little win in a while – I’ve got options,” she said. “And I can bring the dog!”

Deb and Jim, a couple out on a road trip, said they had been visiting Plymouth before heading south to explore some of the South Coast’s vineyards.

“[We’re] just listening to music and enjoying a day outside,” Deb said.

Some vendors were brand new to the experience, like Kierstyn Defer of Berkshire County and Natalie Bathl of Pittsfield.

The duo sold handmade bracelets, ornaments, magnets, stickers and more for both Christmas and back-to-school. All the items were made and acquired within the week when they first discovered the event. 

They said the Christmas in July theme is what really drew them in and they had never even tried their hand at vendoring prior.

“It’s our favorite holiday,” Defer said. “We’re both moms, so we’re big on Christmas.”

Though pulling everything together for the first time was both “hectic” and “messy,” they agreed it was worth it.

“The wind tried to take our tent but other than that it’s been amazing,” Bathl said.