Annual Downtown Christmas Kick-Off

Event Details

You're all invited to attend the official start of the Holiday Season in Newark on the Friday after Thanksgiving from 4:00pm till 8:00pm. It begins with the CMD's first annual "Christmas Market" with dozens of vendors, decorations, a community Christmas Tree and food trucks. A special feature will be family holiday portraits available from Argyle Photography.

Also at the Canal Market, the traditional 'Night After Thanksgiving' Christmas program will feature the annual holiday music program and sing-a-long and the excitement of Santa's arrival. Santa will then bring forth a colorful 'red, white and green' Holiday Fireworks show over downtown Newark.

The music program begins at 6:00pm with many of your holiday favorites performed by community singers, in addition, featured for the 11th consecutive year, will be
the Blessed Sacrament Combined Chorus and "The Heisey Brass" quintet playing a variety of Christmas songs.

The Newark Fire Department will assist with the arrival of Santa in downtown, which is anticipated just after 7:00pm. The 'Jolly Old Elf' will extend his best wishes to the community and with the help of the children will kick-off the Christmas Season in Licking County with a Holiday Fireworks Show.

Also, on display at Canal Market will be the local Salvation Army’s 'World's Largest Red Kettle'. This trailer mounted, eight foot high Red 'Collection' Kettle, is used to promote the annual 'Salvation Army Red Kettle Christmas Campaign' throughout the
community in December.

The 'Elves in Action' will also be at CMD collecting non-perishable food items and donations for those in need this Christmas Season. The Licking County Food Pantry Network will be distributing the food to those in need.

Following the 'festivities' at the Canal Market Place, Jolly Old Saint Nick and his Elves will be at a special Santa House, just south of the CMD Pavilion and along the walkway, to greet families and their children

So, come to downtown Friday afternoon and evening. There will be plenty of parking including the first floor of the County Parking Garage on South Second Street.