Wednesday, November 25, 2015

A Downtown Pottstown Christmas

Free trolley rides will mark Pottstown's Hometown Holiday Celebration


This Saturday kicks off the nearly month-long series of downtown Pottstown events geared toward drawing shoppers and their dollars to downtown stores.

Saturday, appropriately enough, is Small Business Saturday and the fun starts at 2 p.m. when Santa begins shopping and the tree lighting ceremony in Smith Family Plaza begins.

You can have Tea with Mrs. Claus at The Sitter's Clubhouse, 333 E. High St., from 2:30 to 4:30
p.m.

In addition to stories and treats, there will a special visit from local magicians Kyle and Kelly.

Santa arrives officially in Smith Family Plaza at 4:30 p.m. and you can visit him for photos in the Santa House already erected there.

There will also be music.

Photos are $7 per sitting, and Santa will also return for photos on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, from 2 to 7 p.m. both nights.

Speaking of Santa, you can also have a spaghetti dinner with the jolly old elf on Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Grumpy's Hand Carved Sandwiches, 137 E. High St. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children 3 to 13.

New this year is a Christmas Tree Decorating contest. The decorating will take place Saturday
from 2 to 7 p.m. and voting will be held on Dec. 12, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Santa's House.

Votes are $1 each and the tree with the most votes wins. A local organization can win $500 or an individual family $100 for the best-decorated tree.

You can help decorate Red Cloud Kung Fu's tree at their Tree Decorating Party, 307 E. High St. on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m.

Or, if Yoga is more your speed, introduce it to your kids on Dec. 5 in a special Yoga For Kids event at High Street Wellness and Yoga, 141 E. High St., on Dec. 5 at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

Dec. 5 is also "Date Night" from 5 to 8 p.m. with a free trolley ride among downtown restaurants and Sly Fox Brewery and Manatawny Still Works. There is free professional babysitting at the Sitter's Clubhouse, 333 E. High St., from 5 to p.m. (Children must arrive by 7 p.m.).

Free trolley rides downtown will also be offered on Dec. 12 from 2 to 4 p.m.

A Holiday Open House will be held at ArtFusion 19464, 254 E. High St., on Friday, Dec. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. where visitors can enjoy art, shop for unique gifts and enjoy light fare.

ArtFusion 19464 will also host its popular Van Gogh's Secret Studio, which helps children secretly
shop for small handmade gifts from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19. (Adults must remain in the building while their child is shopping.)

The performing arts are also represented downtown, with Steel River Playhouse presenting "White Christmas."

Show times and ticket prices are available at www.steelriver.org and ticket-holders should know they will get a 10 percent discount off their check at participating downtown restaurants before the show.

Also featuring downtown Pottstown and more is the 30th annual Historic House Tour on Sunday, Dec. 13 from 2 to 6 p.m.

Advance tickets, which go on sale Saturday, are $15 and are available at Carter's Locksmith Shop, 127 N. Hanover St. or by calling 610-323-5400.

Period holiday food from John Potts' time will be on display
at Pottsgrove Manor.
Tickets on Dec. 13 are $18 and are available at Carter's, the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, 17 N. Hanover St., or the Elk's Club, 61 E. High St.

The tour also coincides with Pottsgrove Manor By Candlelight Tour from 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13. Visitors are asked to park at the Carousel building, 30 W. King St., and a shuttle will take visitors to the manor house.

And there are a number of events that will occur throughout the weekends of November and December.

The Phillies Fire Company, which trimmed the tree in Smith Family Plaza, will be selling hot dogs, apple cider and hot chocolate outside Santa's house on Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12.

Beverly's Pastry Shop, 322 E. High St., will host candy cane cookie decorating on Saturday, Nov. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Many events will be augmented by roaming illusionists and magicians. Kyle and Kelly will perform on Nov. 28 from 2:30 to 4:30 and Dec. 12, from 3:30 to 5:30 at various locations downtown. And on Dec. 5, it will be Judy Trudy the Clown, who specializes in balloon sculptures, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Last year, elves stopped by downtown Pottstown to ready stories.

Story Time with the Elves will take place every half hour from 3 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the PDIDA
Office, 17 N. Hanover St. and on Dec. 12 at Smashville, 310 E. High St.

Speaking of elves, the Elf on a Shelf Contest could help you win a $10 downtown gift card.

The elf will be downtown watching shoppers from Nov. 28 to Dec. 11.

Find the elf, take a picture with your phone and send it to 484-948-6061 and the first person to send a photo from each participating business will win a $10 downtown gift card.

You can win a $25 downtown gift card in the reindeer "Selfie Contest."

Take a selfie with the adopted reindeer in Smith Family Plaza and you could qualify for a chance to win the gift card. For details, visit downtownpottstown.org

















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