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Community holiday events set for upcoming weeks

3:59 p.m., Nov. 26, 2003--To boost seasonal cheer on Main Street, the city of Newark is offering a range of holiday-related activities beginning Friday, Nov. 28.

Friday, Nov. 28
The kickoff event, which coincides with Black Friday, will treat local youngsters to an early visit from Santa. Set to arrive in downtown Newark at 2 p.m., Santa will be pulled down Main Street in a horse-drawn carriage before coming to a halt at the site of his holiday workshop, located at 46 East Main St. Thereafter, he’ll keep regular shop hours every Friday from 3-8 p.m., every Saturday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and every Sunday from noon-5 p.m. through Sunday, Dec. 21. Visitors can tour Santa’s North Pole toyshop filled with activities, games and holiday fun before ending their stay with a wish session on Santa’s lap.

To honor Black Friday shoppers, downtown stores will open at 10 a.m. and will offer abundant pre-holiday sales and specials. Participating vendors include more than 150 shops and restaurants, many of which offer the same deals and variety as mall stores, minus the noise and shoving crowds.

Shoppers in the spirit of holiday giving also will want to bring along quality canned goods for the Cans for a Cause canned food drive, which runs through Thursday, Dec. 18. The program benefits the Newark Area Welfare Committee, which serves needy members of the Newark community. Suggested food items include canned vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, soup, pasta and sauce, rice, instant mashed potatoes and any nutritionally sound nonperishable food items. Several downtown Newark stores and locations provide drop-off bins, including Blue Hen Lanes, The Days of Knights, Copy Maven, Happy Harry’s, Lieberman’s Bookstore and the Downtown Parking Office. Items also can be placed in any of the other collection bins located along Main Street.

Those with an eye for decorating will want to enter the window decoration judging contest, which also kicks off on Black Friday. Decorations will be displayed in selected shop windows, encouraging shoppers to judge for themselves who is worthy of winning a prize for the best use of lights, the most innovative display, the most colorful window and the best overall holiday display. Votes will be tallied and announced at 7:10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, during Newark’s Winterfest.

Wednesday, Dec. 3
Members of the fairer sex will feel particularly honored with “ladies only” shopping and dining specials offered on this date at selected merchants throughout downtown Newark. Refreshments, entertainment and a special visit from Santa will make this night out for women a particularly festive shopping experience.

Friday, Dec. 5
Downtown Newark’s annual Winterfest, from 6-9 p.m., is certain to get visitors into the holiday spirit as caroling, carriage rides and ice-carving contests celebrate the traditional side of the season. Vendors selling roasted chestnuts, a 6:45 p.m. visit from Santa, a 7 p.m. tree-lighting ceremony and the 7:10 p.m. window decorating awards program will round out the evening’s festivities.

Wednesday, Dec. 10
Gentlemen will get the same special treatment as ladies did one week before with a night on the town geared especially for male shoppers. Men wrapping up—or just beginning—their holiday shopping will have the opportunity to enjoy shopping and dining specials at selected merchants throughout downtown Newark. Refreshments, entertainment and a special visit from Santa will make this men’s night on the town an especially enjoyable shopping excursion.

Ongoing
Shoppers looking for extra stocking stuffers or gifts certain to please difficult people may want to consider downtown Newark gift certificates. These certificates are accepted at more than 70 downtown shops and restaurants and have the added benefit of providing their recipients with the freedom of choice. Gift certificates are available for purchase at the Jewelry Studio, located at 50 East Main St.; Formal Affairs, located at 127 East Main St.; Village Imports, located at 170 East Main St.; Santa’s Toy Shop, located at 46 East Main St.; and the Downtown Parking Office, located at 45 East Main St.

For more information on any of these events, call 366-7155.

Article by Becca Hutchinson

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