ANDOVER – The popular annual holiday tradition, Simply Christmas, will be returning to Andover Square on Saturday, Nov. 29, beginning at 9 a.m. and bringing with it joy and plenty of Christmas spirit.
Lara Reibold, a member of the Andover Christmas Committee, said there is a full day of holiday-themed fun for children and families to enjoy, beginning with breakfast with Mrs. Claus at the Andover Volunteer Fire Department, 153 Station St., running 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Children eat for free; adults are only $5.
There will also be Christmas kids’ crafts and games at the fire station from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
At the First United Methodist Church, 181 S. Main St., adults can drop in for the craft fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and the kids can enjoy some facepainting.
At the same time at the Senior Center, Santa’s workshop will be available from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
At the Gulf station, tickets for the big 50/50 raffle will be available for sale from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., after which sales will move to the Square until the drawing at 8 p.m.
On the Square there will be burn barrels and s’mores kits where festivalgoers can toast their s’mores beginning at 12 p.m.
From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Santa’s reindeer will be making a visit for the kids to enjoy.
A new addition this year, according to Reibold, will be ice skating, courtesy of Big Dog Bounce, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Station Street. This family-friendly fun was also at Lake Fest this year and was a huge success, she said.
From 1-3 p.m. on the Square, magician “Crazy” David Allen will be putting on a show and from 3-5 p.m. an ice sculptor will go to work creating beautiful holiday displays.
Several food trucks will be parked along the square from 3-7 p.m. for festivalgoers to enjoy and wagon rides on the Square will return from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
The big showstopper event, the Christmas parade and the lighting of the Square, will begin at 6 p.m. with Santa Claus making his big entrance – this year with his magic sleigh.
“(The parade) brings Santa to town,” Reibold said. “Last year his sleigh couldn’t make it because Ashtabula got a 5-foot snowstorm.”
After Santa arrives, he’ll make his way to the gazebo, where kids can make their Christmas wishes and a Committee photographer will take photos to be posted to the Simply Christmas Facebook page – families can take their own photos, as well, according to Reibold.
Simply Christmas is put on by the Andover Christmas Committee, which put on a fundraiser in July that brought in around $10,000 for the event, Reibold said. Those funds purchased four, 8-foot nutcrackers that will be placed at the entrance to the bandstand, a new Countdown to Christmas sign that was illuminated Wednesday, Nov. 19, snowmen to go by the light poles in the center of the Square, and new reindeer decorations, as well as all the food, fun and entertainment that goes along with Simply Christmas.
For more information, call 440-645-4657 or 440-339-4886.
