Santa will visit Dec. 12

Downtown tree lighting set for Sunday, Nov. 29

Yes, Harbor Springs, there will be a Santa Claus coming to town this year.

As reported last week, the Harbor Springs Fire Department had initially decided to cancel its annual Santa visit at the downtown tree due to declining attendance.

They had a change of heart.

“We will be there,” Fire Chief Dick Schiller said last Friday. “The downtown merchants and the Chamber and we agreed that we will bring Santa in about an hour before the downtown open house event on Saturday, Dec. 12 and stay until about half an hour after it starts.”

Harbor Springs Chamber of Commerce executive director Scott Herceg was relieved that Santa would make a stop in town.

“I had a lot of calls about that. Folks even volunteered to do it themselves. I am glad it worked out,” Herceg said.

The annual merchant’s open house is set for 6-9 pm on Saturday, Dec. 12. Santa will arrive about an hour before the start of the open house.

The downtown Harbor Springs Christmas tree is in place and ready for the annual community lighting ceremony. The tree lighting will take place Sunday, Nov. 29 and will include the announcement of the Chamber’s window decorating contest.

Immediately after the tree lighting, everyone is invited to the new Holy Childhood Parish Hall for a free bowl of chili. Area churches are hosting a chili cook-off and Santa may even stop by (see article elsewhere in this issue).

A community tree lighting and related events are also being held in Cross Village on Friday, Nov. 27, hosted by Three Pines Studio. Petoskey will host a holiday parade downtown on Saturday, Nov. 28 beginning at 10 am.

This is part of the November 25, 2009 online edition of Harbor Light Newspaper.

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