The Little Traveler has  beautiful styles arriving each day, so come on in to meet the hat of your dreams and define your style for the new season.

Discover new favorites at one of our many tasting stations during this year’s event, September 10-12. We will be sampling from dozens of vintners including Schlink Haus, Glunz and local wineries such as Lynfred and Illinois River, plus many more. In addition to our delightful selection of reds and whites, we will sample several seasonal wines such as Hollowine and Chateau St. Nick. And for chocolate lovers we will again be pouring the Chocovine! This delicious combination of Dutch chocolate and French cabernet is a Little Traveler favorite. And, as always, The Little Traveler’s samples are free!

The Little Traveler is ecstatic to introduce the new Vera Bradley colors for Fall 2010:

Hello Dahlia – Lush, sensual florals and bold, rouge undertones step into the spotlight in and oh-so-dramatic way with this playful, expressive pattern.

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Very Berry Paisley – Spontaneous, adventurous, artistically inspired. This season’s palette of berries and vibrant purples swirl and twirl in this eclectic, folkloric design.

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Slate Blooms – Bursting with possibilities, organic, oversized blooms pair with slate grey, winter white and mahogany to create a spirited, down to earth experience.

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Barcelona – Influenced by a Spanish tile motif, contemporary stripes of scarlet, cobalt, and yellow add a modern flair to old world charm. The effect? Timeless.

From the Original Snow Village Series

This Snow Village was all inspired one Christmas evening when a group of friends went out to dinner at a small country inn nestled in a quiet river town. The lights sparkled on the new fallen snow, inspiring the visitors with Christmas memories.  To preserve the magic of the moment, the idea for a miniature lighted Christmas village was born.

Now headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Department 56 is the premier name in giftware and collectibles, including hand-painted porcelain bisque Snowbabies™.  But the company is still best know for its charming hand-crafted lighted villages, which have been expanded to include not only The Snow Village Series, but  The North Pole Series, The Dickens’ Village Series and many more.  Festive fall displays are also possible now with Dept 56 Halloween buildings and accessories.

From the Legends of Sleepy Hallow-een series

Create stunning, memorable displays that reflect your style and imagination.  From small town America to the streets of New York to Victorian England, the magical North Pole to spooky Sleepy Hallow, Department 56 villages are thoughtfully created using hand-craftsmanship and the highest level of architectural detail to achieve authenticity.  And what better place to put together the village of your dreams than our very own Little Traveler building in the picturesque village of Geneva, Illinois?

Each year, certain Dept 56 products are retired.  See which village items retire at the end of 2009.

In Byers’ Choice:

• The new Pink Ribbon Caroler represents breast cancer awareness for campaigning and fundraising during the month of October.

• “The Witching Hour,” three new witches along with their haunted gingerbread house and pumpkin heads, get ready for Halloween fun.

• “The Amish Family,” complete with parents and kids in traditional clothing, represent a new look for this collection.

In Department 56:

• The Haunted Railroad collection expands with the “Haunted Rails Dining Car” complete with ghoulish waiter.

• New to the Halloween Village are the Gravely Estate, Croak-N-Haggard Mortuary, Deep Woods Haunt and The Black Widow Dating Service, along with many new added accessories.

• The Stationery Collection – a perfect gift!

• A fabulous Reversible Tote, two options for organizing your jewelry

We know you love Vera…so don’t miss these exciting opportunities!

All-in-One Wristlet—Sept. 8-21, pick up Vera’s adorable new wristlet, which holds your cell phone or music player, ID and credit cards, at the special promotion price of just $22 (while supplies last).

Vera’s Market Totes—Oct. 17-Nov. 2, you have the opportunity to pick up a sturdy market tote. Environmentally friendly, practical and reusable, yet stylishly Vera!  Just $18 while supplies last.

Among this year’s highlights will be Choco-Vine, a delicious combination of Dutch chocolate and fine red wine, as featured on The Today Show.

In addition to the wines, we’re offering special purchases on a variety of home décor, housewares and fashion items, inside our shop.

WINERY OWNER JOINS FESTIVAL

We’re pleased to welcome back Gunther Schlink, owner of Schlink Haus Winery in Germany to this year’s Festival of the Vine. Mr. Schlink will pour samples of his distinctive collection of wines and introduce his new wines from France.

Festival Fun for the Charm Collector!

“Wine Harvest,” a beautiful sterling silver bead from the Trollbeads collection, is free during Festival of the Vine with $100 in Trollbeads purchases (while supplies last).