Christmas Parade, tree lighting, and Santa for the kids!!
Hornell, NY – There is no better way to start the Holiday Season than to attend the annual Shop Local Saturday, “Hornell for the Holidays”, kickoff event on November 25th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Santa returns to his cottage on Santa’s Lane in Hornell, during the Christmas Parade that starts at 5:00 pm. Immediately after the parade is the annual lighting of the HPG tree downtown on Main Street across from City Hall. Santa will greet visitors in his cottage from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
All are invited to join in the parade, the route will start at the parking lot on Center Street, turn left on Main Street, travel to the tree, turn right on Seneca Street, and end at the Community Bank parking lot. Anyone can be a part of the parade by coming to the Center Street Parking Lot between 4:00 & 4:45 PM.
During the day you will see a lot of activity going on in the parking lot behind Santa’s Cottage, parallel to Route 36, where we will be setting up vendors and activities that will start at 5:00 pm. There will be free activities for kids, craft vendors, food trucks selling cotton candy, funnel cakes, deep-fried junk foods, and two dinner trucks, along with all the local restaurants in the area.
The evening activities start as soon as the tree is lit; everyone is invited to enter the large tent area, and receive a laminated number for their group; the numbers will be called throughout the night and will be when you enter the rope area for your turn to visit Santa. While you wait enjoy free hot cocoa, cookies, coloring pages & crayons, and much more fun inside the tent. You will also find that this year we have invited international award-winning live party caricaturist Adam Pate from Speed Sketchers set up to create a sketch of you and your family (https://speedsketchers.com) while you wait for your turn to see Santa.
This year we want to make sure the line keeps moving therefore we will not be printing out photos for everyone, please bring your phones or camera to take your own photo. We will also have a cute holiday photo area set up outside in the tent area.
Some activities will be run by volunteers from local groups and we encourage donations to them; like the Hornell High School Seniors who will be handing out Free Hot Cocoa and Cookies provided by Wegmans, and will be set up inside the Warehouse where some vendors will also be. The city stage will be set up for entertainment throughout the night. DJ Sean Stewart from Fun 92.1 will be playing Holiday Music all night long with breaks for local entertainment. Groups such as the Hornell Intermediate School Choir and the High School Choir. If any choir, dance studio, or other similar Christmas entertainment would like to volunteer some time and perform during the night please contact HPG at hornellpartners@gmail.com.
Want to come back and visit Santa’s Cottage at a later date? It will be open for visits with Santa on these Saturdays, December 2nd, 9th, & 16th from 1 – 4 pm, and Thursdays, December 7th & 14th from 5 – 7 pm. Free Photos will be printed on the spot and will cause a longer wait time, please be patient while waiting in lines and dress for the weather.
Once you see the big red mailbox outside of Santa’s Cottage, at the end of November through December 14th, your child will be able to drop off their letters to Santa and we will forward them to the North Pole. The Hornell Post Office will also be accepting letters when they have their box for Santa set up. If your child would like a letter back from Santa please make sure that the following information is written on the envelope or inside the letter: First and last Name, Address, City, State, and Zip Code
Please make sure that it is legible in order to receive a letter back!
On December 7th give yourself four hours of shopping & dining in the Business Improvement District’s second annual “Hornell Holiday Shopping Spree Spectacular” from 4:00 – 8:00 PM. During this time, you will find many merchants will be staying open late, and some are offering specials to those who would like to shop for your holiday gifts, pick up certificates, or just have a meal at a local restaurant. Have the kids and don’t want to take them with you? Register them with the Hornell Library or HPG; the cost is $20.00 per child, the best part… return with a receipt from a business in the HPG District and you will receive your $10.00 back per child. Not sure if a business is in the HPG District check out the Discover Hornell App to confirm where you are shopping is listed.
On behalf of everyone at Hornell Partners for Growth and the businesses in the HPG business district, have a very merry Christmas and a safe holiday season. There is no place like Hornell for the Holidays.
Hornell for the Holidays | Facebook
Hornell for the Holidays November 25, 2023 – Hornell Partners for Growth (hornellhpg.com)
