Ashland's Old-Fashioned Christmas a great - albeit chilly - time
Published: December 14, 2009
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
e-mail this
share this
ASHLAND - As would be expected, Santa Claus didn't mind the cold temperatures Saturday evening in downtown Ashland, and neither did most people who came out for Old-Fashioned Christmas.
With temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, Ashland Downtown Inc.'s fifth annual event brought adults and children to the downtown to take in holiday sights and sounds.
Old-Fashioned Christmas was started in 2005 to get people to come to the downtown business district for their holiday shopping, as was the norm before malls became popular. ADI, working with local businesses and civic groups, turned the idea into a popular tradition.
A major draw of the event, which ran from 5 to 8 p.m., was the horse-drawn trolley rides provided by Running Spring Farm, Spring Glen. The trolley adorned in Christmas lights took on passengers past 8:30 p.m. to accommodate the large number of people interested in taking a ride.
Another feature was the live nativity scene on the 700 block of Centre Street. The Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts group braved the cold to portray the Christmas story in period costumes, backed by narration and seasonal music.
Santa Claus kept busy in front of Susquehanna Bank, greeting children and parents as they walked by. He even waved to people in passing vehicles, with some drivers shouting holiday greetings from an open window.
"The kids have been very good this year, but Santa is not surprised," said Santa. "They're asking for a lot of presents this year. Santa will be very busy on Christmas Eve."
With many businesses open, downtown visitors were able to complete their Christmas shopping, enjoy a meal or snack or learn something about local history and culture.
Anyone passing by the ADI office at 733 Centre St. was able to partake of some free hot chocolate to warm up, along with cookies. There were T-shirts, sweatshirts, stocking stuffers for sale, as well as chances for a variety of raffles.
The Ashland Old-Fashioned Christmas Activity Guide was a new addition this year. A brochure was handed out to each visitor, and included questions about Ashland locations and history, along with another section that required visits to businesses to get the form stamped. Each section completed earned a chance to win prizes.
Ashland Main Street Manager Gregory Fisher said the event was a success as he stood where people were boarding the trolley.
"Old-Fashioned Christmas is going very well. There are smiles on people's faces. Families and children are having a great time. It's really packed right now with people," said Fisher. "I won't say it's a warm evening, but compared to what we've had in temperatures the last couple of days, it's definitely much better. The hot chocolate is going quick."
Be the first to comment on this article!