Delaware’s Home For The Holidays Begins Today

Special to 1808Delaware

Main Street Delaware’s fifth annual “Home for the Holidays” weekend will feature the lighting of the community Christmas tree on Dec. 3, a shopping open house and “Dash for Dasher” scavenger hunt on Dec. 4, and the annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 5.

The three-day event begins Dec. 3 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a Friday evening of family-friendly fun that includes:

Lighting the community Christmas tree at 6:30 p.m. at the main stage at William and Sandusky streets.
Carolers and live musical performances at the main stage.
Horse-drawn carriage rides boarding outside The Strand Theatre, 28 E. Winter St. (Cost is $2 per person, free for children ages 5 and under.)
Visits with Santa from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. inside the Main Street Delaware Welcome Center, 20 E. William St. (Cost is $10 per family for one photo print and digital copy. Appointments are required.)
Children’s activities that include live reindeer and a life-sized snow globe for photo opportunities.
Shopping and store specials throughout “Home for the Holidays” weekend.

For the evening, Delaware County Transit will provide free shuttles from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Shuttles will run every 15 minutes between the historic downtown and the Hayes Building, 145 Union St.

The following traffic and street closing plan will take place Friday in advance of the night’s events:

Noon: Sandusky Street between William Street and the City Hall parking lot entrance will be closed so the event stage can be placed.
During this time, City Hall will be open and its parking lot accessible from NB Sandusky Street.
4 pm: Full closure of Sandusky Street, from Spring Street to Central Avenue, will begin. William Street will remain open.
9 pm: Re-open streets following completion of events.

“Home for the Holidays” continues Dec. 4 with a Saturday shopping throughout the downtown during businesses’ regular open hours, a “Dash for Dasher” scavenger hunt from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and visits with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Street Delaware Welcome Center. Walk-ins are welcome from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and appointments are required for visits between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. For His Glory Photography will provide professional photography with Santa, with one 4-inch-by-6-inch print and a digital copy for $10.

During the Saturday scavenger hunt, follow clues to help Santa find Dasher the reindeer, completing crafts and other fun activities along the way. (Everyone will begin the hunt at the Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., which will provide first clue.) There’s no cost to participate in “Dash for Dasher,” but boxes of cereal and monetary donations will be accepted to benefit our local food pantries.

On Dec. 5, “Home for the Holidays” features Main Street Delaware’s annual Christmas Parade. WSYX-ABC 6 journalist Tom Bosco will serve as master of ceremonies, announcing each parade entry.

This year’s grand marshal is the entire staff of the Delaware Public Health District, who have worked diligently since March 2020 to keep our community safe and healthy during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The parade will kick-off from Mingo Park at 3 p.m. Dec. 5, and travel south through the downtown to Wilmer Street. The U.S. Post Office will collect letters to Santa at the start of the route to help ensure they reach the North Pole safely. Children should include their return address on their letters if they’d like to receive a response from Santa. To register to participate in the parade, visit https://www.mainstreetdelaware.com/christmas-parade-registration. The deadline to register is Nov. 22 or until all spots are filled.

This weekend of free, family-friendly events is made possible through the generous support of sponsors including:

Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 18; AAA; Fidelity Federal Savings and Loan; First Commonwealth Bank; Wendy’s; Delaware County District Library; Planet Fitness; Honda Marysville MotorSports; Honda Marysville; Greif Inc.; Bolton Insurance; Steven Kline Productions; Suburban Natural Gas Company; Ohio Hearing & Audiology; Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, BigHill – The SJV Group, LLC; North Orange Family Dentistry; Price Realty; and Pathways Financial Credit Union.

For more information about Main Street Delaware’s 2021 “Home for the Holidays,” including Santa’s House hours, carriage ride times, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.mainstreetdelaware.com/christmas-in-downtown.