The Ninth Annual Patriot Christmas Marketplace is underway at Pike Liberal Arts School. The market opened Thursday and is open today until 6 p.m.

The market features dozens of vendors from independently owned businesses across Pike County. Gifts of all sorts can be found.

Items include clothing, Christmas ornaments, wooden signs, paintings, skin care products, Young Essential Oils, handmade knives and holsters, cheese trays, jewelry and much more.

“It’s something for the community,” said PLAS Headmaster Becky Baggett. “We like to partner with the community and do things to bring them in and let them see what we are doing. It gives us an opportunity to give them an opportunity to shop for some things they wouldn’t get to normally.”

Each class in the school also provided a basket to be used in a silent auction. Students in the classes brought items to be placed in the baskets for bidding.

Baggett said the event is a fundraiser for the school, but it isn’t a major monetary source.

“We don’t make a lot,” Baggett said. “It’s more of an outreach to the community to let them know we care and we want to do something for them.”

With the money that is raised from the market, Baggett said that the school can continue with some ongoing projects. She said they are in the process of replacing the tables and chairs in the cafeteria, and these funds will help with that project.

Linda Helms, parent of a PLAS alumnus, enjoyed shopping in the market for Christmas gifts Thursday.

“I think it’s a good thing for the school,” Helms said. “They have a lot of beautiful things to support the school and the students. They have some great deals.”

Baggett said she was pleased with the turnout for the first day, and hope even more people come out and shop today.

“We encourage everybody in the community to come and see what kind of bargain they can get,” Baggett said. “We appreciate everyone coming out and supporting it.”

Santa will be at PLAS today from 3 to 5 p.m. for photographs.

“Anyone can bring their children and have their picture made,” Baggett said. “He is the real deal from the North Pole.”