If you go
When: Today, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.Where: Chattanooga Convention CenterHow much: Free admission and parking
More Info
Events› Photos with Santa: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.› Performance by Ballet Tennessee: 2 p.m.› Performance by the Snow Sisters: 3 p.m.
Don't be fooled by stubbornly high temperatures - Christmas is coming.
For Chattanoogans looking to get a jumpstart on their shopping, the HoHo Expo is an opportunity to get ahead of the annual crowds, and on Saturday thousands of people joined in the fun on the Chattanooga Convention Center floor.
More than 180 vendors have set up shop for the expo hosted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, selling everything from bath soap to handmade toys. For the kids there are bouncy castles and chocolate and for the parents plenty of shopping in the maze of booths.
In 2015 the two-day event brought in more than 10,000 visitors, and returning vendors say it's one of their favorite weekends of the year. Jessica George, a wreath-maker, said this is her second year at the expo and she's glad to be back.
"I live in McMinnville, and this expo means guaranteed sales," she said. "This is the main [event] I do. It's definitely the biggest expo I go to."
George makes wreaths year-round for holidays and sports teams, and on Saturday afternoon she said business had been brisk. She also said people seemed to be having a good time but it felt less crowded than the year before.
"I think the weather has a lot to do with it. People were more in the Christmas mood last year," she said.
"It's hard to be in the Christmas spirit when it's 78 degrees outside."
Along with Santa Claus, two Disney princesses were the star attraction on Saturday for the younger crowd. Actresses dressed as Anna and Elsa from the animated movie "Frozen" sang a few songs from the movie before heading to a photo booth with the kids.
"The HoHo Expo invited us to sing and take pictures for the kids and we have had a lot of fun doing that," Anna said.
"We couldn't bring Olaf because he's made of snow. He would melt in Chattanooga."
Even though the weather may have prevented Olaf, a fictional, sentient snowman, from stopping by the expo, it didn't stop the families who did come from having a good time.
Olivia Pope stood clutching a few bags on the convention floor and watching her 4-year-old son Conrad run through a bouncy house.
As Conrad shouted "Again! Again!" before taking another lap through the bouncy house, she said they were both having a great time. She said she could buy a few things for the holidays while he got some energy out.
"We just bought a house so I have a room that has nothing in it," she said.
As for getting around to all the booths, she said it can be difficult with so many toys on display because Conrad wants to play with everything. While Pope talked, Conrad jumped from the inflatable to the concrete floor but slipped and fell.
He looked up at his mother and she raised her voice calmly but firmly to be heard over the crowd.
"Shake it off," she said. Conrad leapt to his feet and dove back through the entrance.
"I think we might get a trampoline," Pope said.
Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731. Follow him on Twitter @emmettgienapp.