By Darlene Brace
Are you ready to kick off the Christmas holiday season? Here’s information on holiday parades and other activities in Chautauqua County.
On November 25, Dunkirk is celebrating the beginning of the holiday season with its Christmas on Central Festival from 11am-5pm. They have more than eighty-five vendors of different types participating. There will be free carriage rides and the lighting of the Christmas tree at City Hall at 5:30.
In connection, on December 1st, the Dunkirk Holiday Parade will be taking place. The theme this year is “Holiday Movie Magic.” Participants are encouraged to decorate with a holiday movie or cartoon theme and play their favorite Christmas music. The parade will begin at 6:30pm on Third Street, continues on Central Avenue, and finishes near Sixth Street. Trophies will be awarded to several floats in various categories. If you want more information on these events, you can call 716-366-9886.
Also on Saturday November 25th, Frewsburg will be having its annual Old Fashioned Santa Parade. The parade will start at 11am and proceed down Main Street. It will end at the firemen’s fairgrounds. The parade will have floats pulled by horses and tractors and include area businesses, clubs, and the Frewsburg High School band. There will be lots of animals such as horses, donkeys, goats and horse drawn floats. At the parade’s conclusion, Santa will be in the blue building, where children can talk to Santa and receive a small gift.
In Jamestown, in addition to the annual Christmas parade and the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree, there is the Jingle and Mingle Winter Festival. This festival will be on Saturday December 2, at Tracy Plaza beginning at noon. Throughout the day, there will be holiday crafts, activities and a photo booth.
From 12 pm-3pm, free carriage rides will be given as well as a character meet and greet. Children can meet Buddy the Elf, the Grinch, and Olaf. There will be a free showing of The Santa Claus Movie at the Reg Lenna at 3:30pm.
Live music by singer-songwriter Charity Nuse and Friends will be from 2pm-3:30pm. Her music has a blend of country and Americana style that their fans have grown to love. Award winning party band Nerds Gone Wild will perform their energized 80’s rock from 4-5:30pm.
At 6pm, the Christmas parade will move along Third Street to Tracy Plaza. Many area businesses, schools, and organizations will participate. Following the parade, there will be a fireworks display to culminate this event.
Also on Saturday December 2nd, Fredonia will be having its annual Miracle on Main Street Festival. It will take place at Barkers Common and throughout the village from 9am-5pm. Some of the events are gingerbread house decorating, story time with Santa, and visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Fredonia American Legion Post 59. The Polar Express will be showing at 4pm at the Fredonia Opera House and the lighting of the tree will be at the D. R. Barker Museum at 6pm. For more information on times and locations of all the activities, go to festivalsfredoniany.org or check out their Facebook page.
Bemus Point invites the community to join in the holiday fun at their 2nd Annual “Light Up the Point” on Saturday, December 2nd. You will find holiday activities around the village all day long, as well as some specials and sales at village stores. The fun starts with Breakfast with Santa at 9am, followed by a variety of activities like cupcake decorating, making mini gingerbread houses, story time with Mrs. Claus and more. Decorate and light up your car or golf cart if you want to participate in the parade. The line up of the parade will begin at 4:45 with the parade starting at 5pm. The parade will end at the intersection of Lakeside Drive and Main Street, where you can join Santa Claus in the official lighting of the Village Tree. For more information and a complete list of times and locations of all the activities, go to visitbemuspoint.com or the Light up the Point’s Facebook page.
Come on out and join your community and get into the Christmas spirit!