Hark, the holiday season is the call across Alameda, Montclair and Piedmont with events on tap to spread feelings of warmth and festivity for all. There will be visits and photos with Santa, tree lightings, a full-blown holiday stroll and a holiday home tour, a full spectrum of fun to raise holiday spirits and brighten the season.
Downtown Alameda starts off the festivities Nov. 30, right after Thanksgiving with its Shop Local and Small Business Saturday, an opportunity to support small businesses by shopping and dining locally while getting into the holiday spirit with their special offers, free treats and other surprises.
Nov. 30 also begins the city’s series of Park Free Saturdays that runs through December. This includes downtown parking meters and the Civic Center parking structure. Local artists and businesses have created special window displays, making a stroll down Park Street a holiday spirit booster with chances of Santa sightings thrown in for fun.
Piedmont: On Dec. 4, the city of Piedmont will launch the holiday season with its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Community Hall. Sponsored by the Piedmont Beautification Foundation and the Piedmont Garden Club, this festive, well-attended community celebration welcomes city officials and Santa, offering cocoa and hot cider to participants and everyone gathered to appreciate the community tree lit from top to bottom.
Montclair: On Dec. 5, Montclair Village will present its 17th annual Holiday Stroll, a family-friendly festival that shines the Christmas lights on Santa and the small businesses that lend the village its charm. Santa gets escorted into town along with the cable car trolley, the local fire department’s Random Acts fire engine, the Montera Middle School cheer team and the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees, taking Santa to Santa’s Village, where he will stay for visits and photos.
“It’s an event that really spotlights all the components that make a village — the small businesses, school and local groups and the people, all spotlighting the holidays,” said Daniel Swafford, the Montclair Village Association’s executive director. “It’s a real, wonderful showcase of community with our 50-plus businesses that do some sort of open house with giveaways or shopping promotions.”
Live performances by local youth, school groups and Bay Area talent will light up the village from one end to the other with seasonal music. The Holiday Court will engage children with holiday-themed arts and crafts. There will be trolley rides, a window-decorating contest and the Whiskey Chaser Lounge in an old refurbished horse trailer.
To share in the holiday spirit, the Oakland Fire Department will host its Random Acts Toy Drive, and the Alameda County Community Food Bank will host its canned food drive. As well, many local businesses will host their own charity drives and collection points.
Back in Alameda: The city of Alameda Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place Dec. 7 with entertainment at 4 p.m. followed at 5:30 p.m. with Mayor Marilyn Ashcraft and Santa lighting the official island tree at City Hall. Entertainment includes the Alameda Sing-It-Yourself Messiah, Alameda Bands Together, Alameda Community Band, Alameda Sister Cities Association’s Bites That Bind project, the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees, the Mistletones and Santa.
Topping the day will be the ever-popular Hot Cocoa Crawl down Park Street, with local businesses tempting strollers with goodies from topping-festooned hot cocoa, hot cider, cookies, candy canes and more, while participants vote for their favorite holiday window displays.
“Every year the Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony brings families and neighbors together at City Hall in downtown ready to celebrate the season. The Hot Cocoa Crawl and Holiday Window Contest are designed to keep that spirit of community and good cheer going throughout the evening and encourage visitors to explore all that our historic downtown has to offer,” said Janet Magleby, the Downtown Alameda Business Association’s executive director. “Our theme for the holidays is ‘Eat, Shop and Be Merry,” and these family events give the nod to all those options that night!”
Santa and his reindeer will be in town Dec. 21-22 to pay short visits to Alameda children and, by arrangement, bring an early Christmas gift. In the city’s West End, Santa will visit Webster Street on Dec. 13.
“We invite our community and neighborhood kids to come, visit, sit on Santa’s lap, get a little gift and have their picture taken with Santa,” said Linda Ashbury, the West Alameda Business Association’s executive director.
The 49th annual Alameda Family Services Holiday Home Tour will take place Dec. 14, just the ticket for mixing holiday cheer with Alameda’s Victorian history. The tour will feature five distinctive island homes, most built in the 1890s, decked out for the season and open for self-guided visits.
There will be a gift boutique stocked with handcrafted items for the holidays; a gourmet shop tempting visitors with holiday-packaged goodies; and a Texas-style raffle, all at the Elks Lodge; a holiday tea will be served at the First Presbyterian Church. A full day of holiday fun is in store, all for a worthy cause, as proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Alameda Family Services.
Whether you’re in Alameda, Piedmont or Montclair this season, you’re sure to find an activity to celebrate the holiday spirit.
Holiday events
Piedmont Tree Lighting Ceremony: 7 p.m. Dec. 4, Piedmont Community Hall. Call 510-420-3070 for details
Montclair Village Holiday Stroll: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5, 2000 Mountain Blvd. Call 510-339-1000 for details.
Alameda Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony: 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 7, Alameda City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave. Call 510-747-7529 for details.
Santa on Webster Street: 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13.
Alameda Holiday Home Tour: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 14. Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 on tour day. Call 510-629-6208 or visit alamedaholidayhometour.com for details.
Santa visits Alameda homes: Dec. 21-22, reservations needed. Call 510-747-7529 for details.
