WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College Foundation officials are expressing their appreciation to the community for its overwhelming support of the 2022 Down East Holiday Show.

According to PCC Special Events Coordinator Jennifer Vogt, nearly 10,500 shoppers came out to the Greenville Convention Center Nov. 3-6 — roughly 500 more than last year’s attendance and nearly 1,100 more than the 9,400 who came out for the 2019 event. Their patronage, Vogt said, helped the foundation raise $144,779.16 for student scholarships and various educational activities at PCC.

“A lot of time and effort goes into planning and carrying out the Holiday Show each year, so it’s rewarding when the community gets behind it so enthusiastically,” Vogt said. “It’s truly become an eastern North Carolina holiday tradition that makes a substantial positive impact on the PCC Foundation, Pitt Community College and our local small businesses.”

In addition to the economic boost the show provides nearly 200 vendors, PCC Foundation Executive Director Beth Sigmon said it’s the foundation’s most important scholarship fundraiser each year. She said every dollar raised through the Holiday Show supports PCC’s mission to “educate and empower people for success.”

“With the rising cost of living, particularly with regard to transportation and food, the need among PCC students has probably never been greater, which is why we’re so thankful to the good people who came out to this year’s Holiday Show and so pleased with the event’s success,” Sigmon said.  

The 2022 Holiday Show started strong, with more than 1,500 taking part in a special Thursday night of shopping strictly for adults. Vogt said the turnout nearly matched the record-setting 1,566 shoppers who came out for last year’s opener. That momentum, she said, carried into the weekend, as Saturday's show date drew 3,435 shoppers to the convention center — the highest single-day attendance mark for this year’s event.

“Many of our vendors said their sales were up each day of the show, and a lot of them even sold out of products,” Vogt said. “The show was a tremendous success, thanks to the community’s support and the 420 volunteers, including PCC retirees, current faculty and staff, students and board members, who were so generous to us with their time and energy.”

Vogt said approximately 130 of the more than 180 vendors featured in the 2022 Holiday Show have already signed up for next year’s event, which will take place Nov. 2-5.