Downtown Urbana to Host Christmas Festivities Friday

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This Friday you are invited to Downtown Urbana to enjoy local shopping, dining, food trucks, street vendors, and more.

Kick off the holiday season with Tree Lighting in Legacy Park, Carriage Rides, a Lighted Horse Parade, and Santa’s arrival to Santa Land.

Festivities for the day include:
  • 10:00 am – Specialty shops/fine eateries open for Christmas shopping
  • 4:00 pm – Street vendors and food trucks open
  • 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Holiday music in the streets
  • 5:15 pm – Meet in Legacy Park for Caroling (Music Sheets Provided)
  • 5:30 pm – Tree Lighting Ceremony at Legacy Park
  • 6:30 pm – Lighted Horse Parade Begins
  • 7:15 pm – Santa arrives by carriage to Santa Land in Legacy Park until he goes to bed!
  • 7:15 pm – 9:00 pm – Free Carriage and Trolley Rides
  • 8:00 pm – Vendors Start Closing

More than 80 horses, walking snowmen from the Creative Foundation, Santa and so much more plan to be in the parade.

The Grand Marshall will be the administrator of the Special Olympics & a special guest.

The parade starts on Patrick Avenue, goes through the square, and ends back on Patrick Avenue, making a loop.

The Santa Land at Legacy Park, located at the old Douglas Hotel, will be open for visitors Friday after the parade and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m.

It will also be open every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. until December 16th.

You can drop off letters to Santa in his mailbox in front of Legacy Place any time but don’t forget to include your address.

Vicki Deere-Bunnell, a volunteer, has more details:

Sponsors and volunteers for this event include:

  • Urbana Dental Smiles
  • Orbis
  • The Peoples Savings Bank
  • The V. Patrick Hamilton Group- RE-Max Alliance
  • Park National Bank
  • Legacy Place
  • Wallace & Turner Insurance
  • Streamline Design and Print
  • Farmers and Merchants Bank
  • Koerner Realty
  • Kat’s Kauldron Vintage
  • Steve’s Market & Del
  • City of Urbana Administration
  • Urbana Police Department
  • Urbana Fire Department and Street Department