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2010 Holiday Activities on the Square
If I thought the two weeks before Halloween were busy, check out the line up of events scheduled for the Christmas season on the square!
In chronological order:
Living History Days ~ Dutch Oven Cooking
November 20th, Chestnut Square will be cooking in dutch ovens. There’s very little information on their web site but their May event was spectacular, so I thought I’d mention it.
Believe! 2010 Certified 10K, 5K and 1 Mile Run
Coinciding with Dickens of a Christmas (see below) the Believe! 2010 run will begin at 7 AM on November 27th. (Streets close at 7:40). Dogs on leashes are welcome.
Last day to register is November 20th. You can register by mail or on-line through their web site right now or, beginning November 20th until 26th, in person at McKinney CK Sports (8880 Hwy 121). Registration is also available at Market Street November 6th and 13th from 8 am until 4 pm. Registration before the event is $25 for adults or $18 for children under 12, seniors and members of a team of at least 5 people.
Registration on the 27th is $30, regardless of age or group size. Bring a new pair of children’s athletic shoes to donate for a discount on registration.
For $35, you can sleep in and they’ll send you a shirt. No one will be the wiser. (But you’ll miss all the fun!)
The first 500 registrants will receive a Believe! backpack and long-sleeved shirt. (I think I heard they had 1,700 participants last year).
Each participant 16 and under that completes the 5K, timed or not, will get to take a picture with the Mayor and will receive a special “dog tag” and a Certificate of Completion from the Mayor during the Awards Ceremony.
The Maylee Thomas Band will be performing on the awards stage at 9:30.
Proceeds from the Believe!2010 race are used to provide scholarships to area children. For more information, see http://www.believemckinney.org/
Great Santa Chase
Poor Santa. He puts up with so much and still stays so cheery. Maybe its a new exercise regimen. Starting at 7:45, as part of the Believe! run above, next to the big red building off of Virginia and Church, children 12 and under are invited to chase Santa. Each participating child will get a special treat bag and there is no fee to participate.
30th Annual Dickens of a Christmas
Friday, November 26th, 10 am to 8 pm
Saturday, November 27th, 10 am to 8 pm
Sunday, November 28th, Noon to 6 pm
The official McKinney Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be Friday at 6:15 pm at Mitchell Park.
There will be live entertainment on the McKinney sound stages downtown and the old-time 30 horse Dickens carousel will be in operation all three days. Carousel rides will be $3 each. Frosty’s train will be out too, but the details aren’t on the Main Street’s web site yet.
There will be FREE horse-drawn carriage rides at the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts at 205 W.Hunt (just off the square) Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2 pm to 6 pm.
Santa will be making the rounds but will be available for visits and pictures from 12 to 8 on Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5. Visits are free. A photo package will be available for purchase. Main Street says to check their web site for an exact schedule.
Christ Fellowship will bring lights, sets, live animals and more than 80 people in ancient garb to create Bethlehem Market on the corner of Louisiana and Church street. Admission is free. The show is called “Follow the Star – A Light in the City” and show times are 5:30 and 7:30 on Friday and 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 on Saturday. For more information, see the Christ Fellowship web site.
McKinney’s Repertory Theatre will be performing the Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” in the old Courthouse during the Dickens Festival. This adaptation is “full of Victorian song” and will be accompanied by music from MPAC’s Wurlitzer theatre organ. For more information, see the McKinney Performing Arts Center web site.
For more information on Dickens of a Christmas, see the Main Street web site.
VIP Santa Session and Christmas Card Package
After resting up from Dickens of a Christmas, Santa will be back at And The Party Never Ends on Thursday, December 2nd. Packages are available and include a private visit with Santa with professional photography of the visit. Bring a present for your child to open with Santa and they’ll have milk and cookies together while Santa finds out what your little one wants on the big day. Enjoy looking at Santa’s photo album. As part of the package, you’ll get one CD of all photos taken, one 5×7 on demand photo, Christmas cards (delivered the next day) and one 16×20 canvas. Schedule your VIP visit with Santa quickly… space based on availability. Package price is $175.
He will also be available on Saturday and Sunday for walk-ins.
For more information, see the And The Party Never Ends group on Facebook or check out Entertainment Photography’s site at www.picjc.com.
Pancakes & Portraits With Santa
December 4th, 8AM to Noon, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 511 Foote Street in the Historic District. Activities will include a pancake breakfast, digital photos with Santa, arts and crafts, reading circles and performances by local dance troops. For more information, see the Holy Family School’s web site. Pancakes are $5, portraits are $10.
37th Annual Holiday Tour of Homes
Saturday, December 4th from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday, December 5th, from Noon until 4 PM, local residents will open their doors for the 37th annual home tour. This year’s tour will feature four homes in the Historic District, the historic First Methodist Church, three homes in the Historic Chestnut Square Village and one home in McKinney’s Adriatica neighborhood. There will also be a holiday Bazaar in the Bevel House at Chestnut Square. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the Chestnut Square web site or at The Little Red Hen, Antique House, Uptown, Smitten, the 120’s (?), Stained Glass of McKinney or the McKinney Market Street. “Day of” tickets will be $20. I think “the 120’s” may be a reference to “120, Inc.” which is located in Smitten.
For tickets or more information, see the Chestnut Square web site.
11th Annual Christmas Parade of Lights
Themed “Songs of Christmas”, the McKinney Rotary Club will present the 11th Annual Christmas Parade of Lights on Saturday, December 4th at 6:30 PM. Parade participants will gather in the municipal courthouse parking lot at the corner of Tennessee Street and Davis Street by 5:30. The parade will travel north on Tennessee to Hunt Street and then back down Kentucky street back to the parking lot.
If you would like to enter a float, the entry fee is $35 up until November 19th. After that, the entry fee is $50. Floats will be judged on theme, decoration, costumes, lights and enthusiasm. Prizes will be $700 for 1st place, $450 for 2nd, $250 for 3rd, and $100 for 4th place. Floats are prohibited from throwing candy and the Rotary has already invited Santa, so no imposters!
For more information on the parade or on advertising and sponsorship opportunities, see the official event site.
Cocktails with Larry Miller: Marriage, Children and Drinking…and How Each One Leads to the Other
By the time December 11th rolls around, we’re going to be ready for this one. Originally scheduled in October, inclement weather caused a flight cancellation and Mr. Miller has re-scheduled to appear at the McKinney Performing Arts Center on December 11th at 7 pm. While this has nothing to do with Christmas, I suspect that the subject matter will be apropos.
MPAC continues with the comedic theme on December 17th and 18th with Sister’s Christmas Catechism. I hadn’t heard of this before but I’ve watched the clip below and this looks really funny.
For tickets or more information, see the McKinney Performing Arts Center web site.
Candlelight Shopping, Strolling Musicians and Carols
McKinney Main Street will be hosting local musicians to perform on the sidewalks throughout downtown beginning Thanksgiving weekend (Dickens weekend) and the month of December.
Many of the shops in downtown will be open until 8 PM each Saturday in December to make it easier to finish your Christmas shopping.
McKinney Main Street also mentions “Carol on a Carriage Ride” scheduled for December 11th and December 18th from 3 pm to 5 pm but no details. I’d keep my eye out for that one. Sounds like it could be fun.
For up-to-date information, check these sites:
Main Street Events Page
Destination McKinney Facebook Page
McKinney, Texas Facebook Page
Until next time,
Happy Shopping!
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