In brief: Lots to celebrate with these Montclair holiday happenings
The annual holiday tree lighting in Church Street Plaza will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m.
The Fabulous Fezzy Wigs will be caroling and there will be ice carvings, a giant snow globe, holiday music by the Montclair Community Band. Residents can roast s’mores over fire pits and sip hot cocoa. There will be kids’ activities and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus will make a special visit.
The following day, Saturday, Dec. 7, Santa visits the business districts on a Montclair Fire Department truck and bringing gifts for all youngsters.
Santa will appear at the following locations:
- • St. James Church (Bellevue Avenue & Valley Road), 11 a.m.
- • Watchung Plaza, 11:30 a.m.
- • Walnut Street Plaza, 12 p.m.
- • South End Business District (Orange Road & Cedar Avenue), 12:30 p.m.
SHOP LOCAL
The Montclair Center BID will celebrate Small Business Saturday next Saturday, Nov. 30, with participating businesses offering giveaways, lunch specials at restaurants in the area, as well as maps for a social media scavenger hunt.
Free two-hour parking will be available at all metered spots in Montclair during the holiday season, beginning Nov. 29 and ending Dec. 26.
The BID will host a station on Church Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Small Business Saturday, providing shoppers with information and a guide to the scavenger hunt.
The BID will be giving away 200 free one-day parking permits to the first 200 shoppers who present same-day downtown shopping receipts at the BID station.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will also visit the area, and Montclair Center mural artist Jhonattan Arango will be welcoming visitors to help paint his mural at 50 Church Street.
On Nov. 30, throughout participating businesses in Montclair Center, shoppers will be able to find large cutouts of our Shop Small Animals. Take a picture or a selfie with them and tag #montclaircenter on Instagram. Eight winners will be randomly chosen from the participants. Santa will also be visiting shops within the district.
WRITE TO SANTA
Children can send a letter to Santa via his very special mailbox. Letters can be mailed to: Santa Claus, c/o Montclair Recreation & Cultural Affairs, 205 Claremont Ave., Montclair, NJ 07042.
No letters accepted after Thursday, Dec. 19.