Main Street Delaware’s eighth annual “Home for the Holidays” will feature the First Friday lighting of the community Christmas tree, “glice” skating, carriage rides, a “Dash for Dasher” scavenger hunt, the annual Christmas Parade, a ticketed holiday bus tour, a pop-up Holiday Makers’ Market, the new Great Gingerbread Build-Off, and, of course, Santa Claus!
The celebration begins Friday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. with an evening of family-friendly fun that includes:
- Lighting the community Christmas tree, with remarks at 6:30 p.m. at the main stage on South Sandusky Street in front of City Hall. First Friday is sponsored by Suburban Natural Gas. The tree lighting ceremony is sponsored by Masonic Lodge No. 18, Delaware Pediatric Dentistry, Trimble Insurance, Pathways Financial Credit Union, COhatch, and First Commonwealth Bank.
- Carolers and live musical performances at the main stage from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Free iceless “glice” skating from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the Ohio Wesleyan University JAYwalk, sponsored by Snappy’s Automotive and The Mason Foundation. (The rink will be located on the west side of Sandusky Street outside OWU’s Hamilton-Williams Campus Center, 40 Rowland Ave.)
- Horse-drawn carriage rides boarding outside The Strand Theatre, 28 E. Winter St. (Cost is $2 per person and free for children 6 and under.) Carriage rides also will be available from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 sponsored by Artomotive.
- Walk-in visits with Santa from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. inside the Main Street Delaware Welcome Center, 20 E. William St. (Meeting Santa is free! Professional photos are available from For His Glory Photography.) Santa will be at the center on Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 21. Reservations are required for most times. For a list of Santa House times and to reserve space, visit www.mainstreetdelaware.com/
christmas-in-downtown. Santa visits are sponsored by Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 18 and Willow Brook Christian Communities. - Downtown shopping and store specials throughout the “Home for the Holidays” weekend, Dec. 6-8.
“Home for the Holidays” continues Saturday, Dec. 7, with another day of fun events including:
- The annual “Dash for Dasher” scavenger hunt from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow clues to help Santa find Dasher the Reindeer while completing crafts and other fun activities. (Begin the hunt at the Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., which will provide the first clue.) There’s no cost to participate in “Dash for Dasher,” but boxes of cereal and monetary donations will be accepted to benefit local food pantries. Dash for Dasher is sponsored by the Delaware County District Library, COhatch, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
- Visits with Santa from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Main Street Delaware Welcome Center. Walk-ins are welcome from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Appointments are required between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. via www.mainstreetdelaware.com/
christmas-in-downtown. Professional photography is available. - Free “glice” skating at Ohio Wesleyan. Those ages 10 and under are invited to learn to skate with the Westerville Warcats hockey teams from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Skating for all ages will be open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Main Street Delaware’s first Great Gingerbread Build-Off at COhatch, 18 E. William St. Registration of $25 will include a basic gingerbread house kit; registrants are welcome to bring glitter, sprinkles, icing, props, and other add-ons. Registrants also are asked to bring their own base no larger than 20″x20″ to build on. COhatch will open at 2:30 p.m., and the competition will begin at 3 p.m. Judging and community voting will begin at 6:15 p.m. with each vote cast by donating a can of food. We’ll award the People’s Choice based on which entry receives the most donations. All food will go to the Common Ground Free Store! A panel of judges will award ribbons to first, second, and third places. We encourage creativity, so come ready to showcase your gingerbread skills! The Great Gingerbread Build-Off is presented by sponsors Trimble Insurance and COhatch, and supported by sponsors Stephen Harless Mortgage Lender, The Modern Maid, Lori Detter Weichert Realtor, Renders by Randy, Focal Point Floors, and TTM Mechanical.
On Sunday, Dec. 8, “Home for the Holidays” features Main Street Delaware’s annual Christmas Parade. WSYX-ABC 6 journalist Tom Bosco will serve as master of ceremonies, announcing each parade entry. This year’s grand marshal is Linda Shearer, longtime volunteer of Main Street Delaware and Farmers’ Market manager, and the parade theme is “Light the Night” as it will be the first year with a dusk start! The parade will kick off from Mingo Park at 5 p.m. Sunday and travel south through the downtown to Wilmer Street. The Christmas Parade is sponsored by Modern Woodmen – The Denney Agency.
Before the parade, free “glice” skating will be available for all ages from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Ohio Wesleyan, and OWU’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., will be open during those same hours for children to make and take free candy cane reindeer and for everyone to warm up as they enjoy the art exhibits.
On Thursday, Dec. 12, Main Street Delaware will host its Holiday Makers’ Market! Located indoors at 17 N. Sandusky St., the event will feature crafters and creators of all types, and promises to be a great time to grab a DORA beverage, enjoy live music, and complete your last-minute gift shopping from local artisans as well as Delaware’s unique downtown businesses. The 2024 Makers’ Markets are sponsored by Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan and Gallery 22/The Arts Castle.
On Sunday, Dec. 15, “Home for the Holidays” continues with a ticketed bus tour combining history and holiday in the city’s historic East Side neighborhood. Narrated tours depart at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. from the Nash House Museum, 157 E. William St. Tickets are $25 and are available online via www.mainstreetdelaware.com/
For more information about Main Street Delaware’s 2024 “Home for the Holidays,” including Santa’s House hours, carriage ride times, and volunteer opportunities, visit our Home for the Holidays page.
