Downtown Georgetown Association hosts Christmas Stroll Festival this Friday and Saturday
The 40th annual Christmas Stroll is next weekend in downtown Georgetown around the Courthouse Square. This free, family-friendly holiday festival sponsored by the Downtown Georgetown Association is from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4. See all the event details at TheGeorgetownSquare.com.
The Christmas Stroll on Saturday includes a parade at 10 a.m., live entertainment, and holiday shopping at more than 150 arts and crafts, clothing, and jewelry vendor booths as well as downtown merchants. The food court areas offer a variety of food items, including sweet and savory crepes, barbecue, hot chocolate, funnel cake, and other seasonal treats. Enjoy Santa’s Village on Saturday, including photos and visits with Santa from noon to 8 p.m.
The young and young at heart can visit the Hewlett Winter Wonderland featuring a human snow globe and other children’s activities on Austin Avenue. The event also includes street hockey, three-on-three basketball, a children’s train, and a Who hair salon and face painting.
On Friday night come dance the night away at Groovin’ with the Grinch at 6 p.m. at Main and Sixth streets. Hill Country Kettle Korn will be providing free kettle corn for children during the event.
Stop by Bethlehem Village on Friday and Saturday to enjoy booths, displays, and performers in costume from the time of Jesus of Nazareth.
Parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday
The Stroll parade starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The mayor will be in the parade and look for Santa as he makes his way through downtown. If you come to the Stroll parade, please bring a toy for Blue Santa. New, unwrapped toys will be collected by Blue Santa Elves along the parade route, which travels along Church Street and Austin Avenue through the downtown Square. Blue Santa is a program of the Georgetown Police Department to provide toys to children in need in Georgetown. New, unwrapped toys also can be brought to donation barrels at many Georgetown locations.
For safety reasons, the Georgetown Police Department asks that no candy or any objects be thrown from floats or participants in the parade. For donation barrel sites and more information, go to BlueSanta.Georgetown.org.
Free Event Parking
Parking is available at the Williamson County parking garage at Third and Rock streets, the lot at Seventh and Rock streets, Eighth and Martin Luther King Jr. streets, and the City parking lot on the west side of Austin Avenue at Fifth Street.
The City parking lot at Ninth and Main streets will be used for handicapped parking.
The City parking lot at Sixth and Main streets will be closed on both days
Street Closures
Austin Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. on Friday until 1 a.m. on Sunday between Sixth and Ninth streets. The Austin Avenue closure will expand from Second to 11th streets on Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon to allow for the Stroll Parade. The Austin Avenue detour will be on Rock Street.
Main Street will be closed between Eighth and Ninth streets from 5 p.m. on Thursday until 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Other streets around the Square will be closed starting at 6 a.m. on Friday through 1 a.m. on Sunday. Street closures include Austin Avenue and Main Street from Sixth to Ninth streets, Sixth Street from Austin Avenue to Church Street, Seventh and Eighth streets from Rock to Church streets, and Ninth Street from Austin Avenue to the parking lot exit on Ninth Street. Visit TheGeorgetownSquare.com for details.
More Information
Admission to Stroll is free. A donation of a new toy to Blue Santa or Brown Santa is appreciated.
Stroll is a rain or shine event. In the event of severe weather conditions such as lightning or high winds, festival activities will be adjusted as warranted. Check the DGA Facebook page at facebook.com/GTXChristmasStroll for updates.
For more information, go to the Downtown Georgetown Association website at TheGeorgetownSquare.com. The Stroll is brought to you by the Downtown Georgetown Association with the support of the City of Georgetown.
