Downtown holiday fun: Schuyler's annual tree lighting, parade, festivities slated for Dec. 10
Christmas brings with it a lot of family and community events and for Schuyler, that means new and old traditions are coming to downtown as the holidays approach.
This year, the traditional 12th and B lot will once again host some of Schuyler's Christmas festivities, but visitors will notice a slight change, Schuyler Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Audra Jedlicka said, following some downtown improvement decisions made over the last year that will make the empty lot into a downtown recreational space.
"We're trying to get the word out about 12th and B, driving people down there. They'll see our new amphitheater sign because this will be the last year it looks like that, definitely next year we'll have our stage and we'll really up our game with that," Jedlicka said.
From 4-6 p.m. on Dec. 10, visitors will be able to meet Santa at his house on the lot, as is tradition, the ever-popular carriage ride is also returning as well as the Holiday Lighted Parade that started in 2022.
This year's parade, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., will be bigger and brighter than the first time around, Jedlicka said. Organizers are trying to take what has been popular in the past and make them better.
"We're going to be building that up this year. Basically, we have all of the things that our community just really loves, which is the parade of trees and Santa, obviously, and the lighting of the Christmas tree," Jedlicka said.
This year, they are adding s'mores to the list of activities as well as a brand-new activity for those with furry friends and family members. Santa Paws, from 4-6:30 p.m., is an opportunity for pets to meet Santa and get a photo.
"Santa Paws will be a fun little thing because when the kids get their s'mores, we'll have dog treats for their dogs and then they will take a picture with Santa," Jedlicka said.
Cargill, Jedlicka said, is the sponsor for the event and the biggest reason the festivities don't cost anything.
"When they're standing in line, and all of these events are free, that's part of Cargill, so they sponsor our holiday. That's why people get to enjoy that carriage ride as many times as they want. We appreciate Cargill doing that, they love to support our community," Jedlicka said.
Jedlicka added that these events not only provide a little Christmas cheer for the community but bring people's attention to the downtown area. Whether that's grabbing a churro at Sunshine Snacks and Drinks or horchata from Burrito House, Jedlicka said, it's bringing feet in the doors of local businesses.
"There's still a lot of stores many people just haven't walked in yet so no time better than the holidays to do just that," Jedlicka said. "The Center's always trying to grow their customer base and have people aware of what all they have to offer. A lot of people thing it's for older people but once they get in there, they realize it's for anyone."
The Center's parade of trees, Jedlicka said, is an old tradition that was highly-requested and made a return in recent years. It will be on display from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Center.
"It was one of those requested things that people loved to bring back so we made its home there again, and people are putting up trees like crazy right now," Jedlicka said.
This year, Jedlicka said, organizers have tried to improve old and new traditions, but as the downtown holiday fun is a relatively new tradition itself, they're working on finding what people like the best and showing off what Schuyler has to offer.
"It's letting people see the businesses and what is there and I think driving those number, having a holiday event in town," Jedlicka said. "Until we started doing this a couple of years ago, there wasn't really anything to speak of, so we're starting traditions, some old and some new."
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