A holiday buzz can be heard around Nashua and it is all about this weekend’s big event: Nashua’s 23rd Annual Winter Holiday Stroll. Organized by Great American Downtown, this event is recognized as the biggest community event in Southern NH, attracting over 30,000 people from across New England each year.
EXCITING STROLL ANNOUNCEMENT: Alex Preston, American Idol Season 13 finalist, will be returning to his home-state of NH to perform on the Christmas Tree Stage at Nashua’s Winter Holiday Stroll!
The Stroll will commence with a candle-lit procession down Main Street; from Nashua’s City Hall to Railroad Square where the City’s official Christmas tree is lit. The streets of Historic Downtown Nashua will be closed to traffic for the evening of November 26 to make way for the large number of attendees who, even after the Christmas tree lighting, can enjoy the happenings of the Stroll. Each year, Strollers enjoy the live entertainment, sample offerings from street vendors, dining in downtown’s fine restaurants and shopping small at our unique specialty shops and boutiques.
Many residents of the region consider the Holiday Stroll, which is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, as the ‘kick-off’ to their holiday season. The Stroll has earned a special place in the hearts of those who have grown up in the area. Jay Chittidi says “[the Holiday Stroll is] an event that defines Nashua and the region during the holiday season – I look forward to it every year, and am always pleasantly surprised to see it grow and improve with each passing year”. The event’s date and timing work well as a sort of ‘reunion’ for those of whom are home from college and want to meet up with old friends. Speaking about the Holiday Stroll, CJ Walker says “food, entertainment, and seeing old friends makes the stroll the start of the holiday season for me. The smile on the children’s faces at the lighting of the tree makes the event the best gift of all.” The family-friendly environment is welcoming to families with children of any age. The event is free and open to the public, and is a great way to see the large variety of community offerings.
With thanks to the Winter Holiday Stroll, Nashua has earned a place in the Top 10 Most Enchanting, Magical Christmas Towns in New Hampshire. As the holiday season approaches, sights of holiday decorations have increased in Downtown Nashua, stirring the excitement of loyal Strollers like Ryan Glen Hirsh who says, “I really love this event. I’ve been going to the stroll for years and it just keeps getting better and better. I’m excited for the evolution of the Holiday Stroll as new technology and old traditions blend together”. Executive Director of Great American Downtown, Paul Shea, is responsible for coordinating the efforts that make the Winter Holiday Stroll happen. He is also quite excited for this weekend’s Stroll, “This year will mark the return of a festive lighting display in Downtown Nashua for the first time since our Main Street renovations which were completed last year. Thanks to the Mayor, Board of Aldermen, the Downtown Improvement Committee, and a generous donation from WineNot Boutique, we will have over 30,000 new points of light in place for a big reveal at this year’s event. In addition to classic holiday decorations, and perhaps what I am most excited about, is the incorporation of 3D mapped projections on three Downtown buildings – two of which will remain through the month of December.”
Photo by Karen Bachelder
Nashua’s Winter Holiday Stroll will also feature:
A World-Renowned Budweiser Clydesdale (weather-permitting)
Polar Express Train Rides
North Pole Safari Rides
Live Pokémon-Themed Ice Sculpture Carving
Over 50 live bands and performances
…and a lot more!
The morning of the Holiday Stroll, Great American Downtown (GAD) is inviting the public to show support for small businesses by participating in Small Business Saturday. Starting at 10am, GAD will be giving away 500 Shop Small tote bags each containing coupons, giveaways, and offers from our downtown businesses and Eat. Shop. Live. Local. hats along with other Shop Small goodies! A select few will include a wooden ornament that has been fashioned out of the old Main Street Trees that were removed as part of recent Downtown renovations! Each bag will also include a Shop Small Snowball Passport, which gives you a chance to win $300 worth of $25 gift cards to Downtown Nashua’s distinctive shops and dining hot spots!
Come to Downtown Nashua this Saturday, November 26 from 5:45-9:45pm to enjoy this annual community tradition!
The post The Event of the Season: Nashua’s Winter Holiday Stroll appeared first on Stay Work Play New Hampshire.