The holiday season is here – time for the whole community and visitors to come together for some Christmas cheer.
The City of Arlington invites you to come out and join all the winter fun and festivities at this winter’s Arlington’s Hometown Holiday Festival!
“People are very excited for this year’s festival,” says the City of Arlington’s Sarah Lopez. “With everything we have planned, it promises to be an even bigger and brighter event than last year!”
With a wide variety of family-friendly events and attractions happening over the next few months, there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy.
Holiday kick-off
The festival starts with the Holiday Kick-Off and Shop Small Event on Olympic Avenue, Saturday Nov. 26 from 4 to 7 p.m.
“We’ll be closing off Olympic Avenue so people can take a stroll and shop,” Lopez says. “We’ll also have a special holiday farmers market with 40 vendors, a spectacular tree lighting at Legion Park at 5 p.m., featuring an evergreen tree with 4,000 lights.”
The free Christmas Carousel, sponsored by the City of Arlington, runs Dec. 2 to 11.
Other kick-off festivities include:
• Lighted vehicles on display and lights in the park
• Fire pits, marshmallows and falling snow
• Free hot cocoa and cider with Stilly Diner
• AHS Choirs on stage and AHS Drummers
• Olaf, Mrs. Claus and the Minions
• Holiday fire truck and Arlington Police
• Festival of Trees Walk and prize drawing
• Craft bazaar at Arlington Lifeway
• Holiday Charm Walk
Santa Parade
On Saturday, Dec. 3, head to Olympic Avenue for the Santa Parade at noon, then visit with Santa at the Gazebo in Legion Park from 12:30 to 3 p.m. (Join the parade with a donation to the food bank)
The day of festive fun also includes wagon rides, the holiday farmers market, a Christmas sweater contest, hot cocoa and crafts, a free Christmas movie at Olympic Theatre at 2 p.m. and much more.
Arlington’s Hometown Holiday Festival will be filled with festive fun – including a Christmas sweater contest.
More holiday cheer
The holiday cheer continues at Legion Park with a free Christmas Carousel sponsored by the City of Arlington, running Dec. 2 to 11, and – new this year – a Holiday Ice Rink, open through Jan. 9.
You can also enjoy a Santa Breakfast on Dec. 3, wagon rides on Olympic Avenue on Dec. 3, 10 and 17, a Hot Cocoa Run on Dec. 10, and movies at Olympic Theatre Dec. 9 and 16.
“The Arlington Hometown Holiday Festival really brings you back in time,” Lopez says. “It’s a very community-oriented event, with all the downtown businesses decorated – people say it’s like being in a Hallmark movie!”
Find out more on Facebook, or visit arlingtonwa.gov/HH.
