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The holidays will crank into full gear at the 8th Annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend presented by Whole Foods Market with fun for the entire family on Saturday, December 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, December 4 from noon to 5p.m. This highly anticipated event will feature a live Nativity, horse drawn carriage rides, professional ice sculpture demos, music and entertainment, children’s activities, live reindeer and photos with Santa, plus more than 125 Greenwich merchants and restaurants offering special promotions, refreshments and in-store attractions.
First Selectman Peter Tesei has issued a proclamation declaring December 3 and 4, 2016 as Holiday Stroll Days to encourage the community to enjoy the festivities and support local merchants this season. The participating retailers and activities can be found on an interactive map accessed online at www.GreenwichReindeerFestival.com and by mobile devices. Saturday’s free parking is sponsored by the Greenwich Town Party, Richards and Pray Body Shop. Parking is free on Sundays.
Merchant Highlights
Created and produced by TMK Sports & Entertainment, a Greenwich-based event-marketing company, the event will feature many activities throughout the downtown, such as holiday card writing to service men and women in conjunction with Boy Scout Pack 10 at C. Parker Gallery which will also host The Stanwich School Trolley outside the store. There will be SIPS & BITES – wines, spirits and light bites - featuring 12 Greenwich merchants sponsored by Horseneck Wines & Spirits, Whole Foods Market and Garelick & Herbs. Letter writing to Santa will take place at 24 stores with mailboxes located at 29 stores.
Dance It Out to Benefit Kids in Crisis
At Arthur Murray Grande Ballroom of Greenwich, dance fitness sensation Billy Blanks Jr. of Shark Tank fame will conduct his popular Dance It Out class, Saturday, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Sunday, 12 to 1 p.m., to benefit Kids in Crisis. All proceeds from the $20 per person class fee will go to the organization.On Saturday at 5 p.m.,Billy will join the merrymaking at the Delamar for holiday caroling and wine and cheese.
Live Nativity and Horse Drawn Carriage Rides
A live Nativity will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at several churches including First United Methodist Church of Greenwich, St. Paul’s Church in Rye Brook, Second Congregational Church in Greenwich and Greenwich Baptist Church. There will be a blessing of the animals, which will include a camel, llama, cow, donkey and five sheep, lessons and carols and a live Nativity photo booth. Horse drawn carriage rides will operate from noon to 3 p.m. each day. Carriage stops will be located at Amogerone Crossway and Greenwich Avenue, Fawcett Place and Greenwich Avenue, the Village Square parking lot on Mason Street and in front of Cavalier Galleries on Greenwich Avenue.
Arts and Ice Sculpture
The Greenwich Arts Council will offer a complimentary photo collage family workshop, Saturday, 1 to 2 p.m., and an ice sculpture demonstration by professionals from Apple Ice in New York City will take place at McArdle’s Florist & Garden Center from noon to 2:30 p.m. each day.
Live Music and Entertainment
Two live entertainment tents – one at 240 Greenwich Avenue sponsored by Greenwich Hospital and another at 1 Pickwick Plaza sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty – will feature performances by 18 music groups, made possible by Entertainment Curator Barbara Occhino of BarbaraEntertains.com. Groups will include the Greenwich Public Schools Honor Choir, Ridgefield Chorale, Grace Notes, The Pop Music Academy, Higher Ground, That Virginia, Brantah, Exit 5, The Bows, Connecticut Playmakers, Barbara Occhino’s Serenade, Matt McDonald and Friends, Riverside Chorus, Cody Carver, John Cloonan, Johann Flores, Charlie HappyLife and Kismet.
Food and Treats
To satisfy shoppers’ appetites, many of the stores will offer special treats from Greenwich restaurants and caterers. A Food Truck Village with trucks in several locations will include Christie Caters Farm to Truck, Pappi’s Mediterranean, Wendy’s Weenies, Dough Girls, Fryborg, LobsterCraft, Taco Pacifico, Tony’s Square Donuts and Chicken Joe’s On the Go.
8th Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Village
And not to be missed are live reindeer and photos with Santa, train and carousel rides at the 8th Annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa’s Village at Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, 437 North Street, just minutes from downtown Greenwich, Monday through Saturday, November 25 to December 24. Photo packages begin at $29.99 and include a Shop and Dine Greenwich gift bag filled with promotions redeemable at participating downtown Greenwich stores. On Saturday, December 3, $5 from every photo package and $5 from every wreath over $50 purchased at Sam Bridge will be donated to Kids in Crisis.
The 8th Annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll Weekend is made possible by the following sponsors:Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, Whole Foods Market, Pepsi, Mercedes-Benz of Greenwich, Greenwich Hospital, Sotheby’s International Realty, Citarella, M. H. Heaven Real Estate, Delamar Greenwich Harbor, Faces by Wells, Kempo Academy of Martial Arts, David Lerner Associates, Venture Photography, Val’s Putnam Wines & Liquors, Greenwich Town Party, Richards and Pray Body Shop. Community Partners include the Greenwich Arts Council, Barbara Occhino of BarbaraEntertains.com, Arthur Murray Grande Ballroom of Greenwich, Greenwich VIP.com, Eagle Fence & Guardrail, b.good and Greenwich Garden Design. Media Sponsors are Greenwich Magazine/Moffly Media, The Advocate/Greenwich Time/Brooks Community Newspapers, Fairfield Parent, News 12 Connecticut, 95.9 Fox, Star 99.9 and AM1490 WGCH. This event was created and is produced by TMK Sports & Entertainment, a Greenwich-based event-marketing company.
For more information, visit www.GreenwichReindeerFestival.com, follow on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GreenwichReindeerFestival, Twitter, @ReindeerGwich, and Instagram, @greenwichreindeerfestival, or call 203-531-3047.