This weekend Downtown businesses will get in the swing of the Christmas season with several events as well as deals and extended hours.
From Friday, Dec. 5, through Sunday, Dec. 7, more than 20 downtown merchants will be offering deals, live demos, samples, gift-wrapping services and event Elfie Selfies, according to social media posts.
Friday
On Friday, several events are offered.
Letters for Santa from 4 to 7 p.m. will help kids write and mail letters to ol’ Kris Kringle himself. Starting at Roots Juice Co., 216 N. Main, kids can create a letter to Santa at a letter crafting station full of festive paper, stickers and holiday magic. Then they can take their letter to the Garden City Arts Stamp Emporium to officially “stamp” the letters and finally drop the letters off at the North Pole Post at the Corner on Main’s official Santa mailbox. More craft stations and holiday activities will be set up at Salon 115, 115 W. Grant Ave.; The Eye Center, 314 N. Main; and Haute Couture, 310 N. Main.
Also on Friday, The Finney County Preservation Alliance is offering the “Windsor Hotel Wintermärchen”, an old-world Christmas Market that follows many centuries of European tradition, mostly German and partially French. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. and food and drinks are available at 415 N. Main.
Desired vendors sell handcrafted, high-quality, artisan gifts in preparation for the holiday season on the ground floor of the historic Windsor Hotel. There is no admission fee for pedestrians.
This is the inaugural year for the event, which will be expanded into multiple days in the future. Attendance is unknown, but the market is scheduled the same evening as the Downtown Tree lighting and Letter to Santa event, which always draws a crowd.
At 7:30 p.m. be sure to gather in Stevens Park for the Christmas tree lighting event.
Saturday
Saturday features Russell Childhood Development Center’s 39th Annual Fantasy Tree Festival and Holiday Home Tours.
The Holiday Home Tours are from 1 – 4 p.m. and tickets cost $15. Tour locations include a preview of the live auction items at the Finney County Exhibition Building; the homes of Eric & Shawna Larsen; Max & Diane Crockett; Gerald & Beverly Miller; and Larry (Skeeter) & Shanda Smith; plus refreshments at Ward’s Garden Café.
The Fantasy Tree Festival is Saturday night at the Finney County Exhibition Building
Space designed by Designs by Silvia; dinner catered by John Ross & Co. with support from Huber Sand; and cash bar provided by Tequilas Mexican Grill. Live auction led by Scott Auction.
Tickets to the festival are $60 per person, and a table of eight can be purchased for $500.
For more information and to purchase tickets go to:
https://www.rcdc4kids.org/fantasytreefestival
Sunday
Sunday night features the downtown Christmas Parade on Main Street starting at 6 p.m.
