The Village at Slippery Rock is ringing in the holiday season with its annual Light Up Night & Christmas Market on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. along Main Street. Activities will include around 50 street vendors, live music, train rides, reindeer feeding, the lighting of the town Christmas tree and a visit from Santa Claus.
The event has been a Slippery Rock tradition for approximately 20 years. Tom McPherson, executive director of Slippery Rock Development Inc., said Slippery Rock University originally hosted the celebration.
“It started out with the university doing it,” McPherson said. “…We took over probably in 2004 or 2005, and it started out with the Business Association and it was really small. And then we just kept adding onto it and it got bigger.”
Main Street will feature about 50 Christmas vendors selling gifts, handmade items and seasonal food. Local businesses will also offer activities and refreshments, including free hot dogs for the first 150 attendees at SR Computer and Cell Phone Repair, 20% off frozen yogurt at Yumberries, and children’s activities and Christmas cookies at Bob’s Sub & Sandwich Shop.
Camelot Restaurant will be open for dining and hot chocolate during the event, McPherson said.
Santa Claus will appear in front of the NexTier Bank doors, where attendees can decorate cookies. At 4 p.m., Santa and elementary school students will help light the Christmas tree in Memorial Park after the students sing holiday songs.
North Country Brewing is sponsoring a small train that will travel up and down Main Street and Edward Jones will provide children with reindeer food. Children can also play games to win prizes and tickets for a raffle drawing.
Rooster’s Coffee Bar will host letters to Santa and a tree decorating contest, with gift cards awarded to the top three entries. Ginger Hill Tavern will host an angel tree for attendees to select a name and purchase gifts for someone in need.
Live music will include a performance from Slippery Rock University’s “Friends in Low Places” tuba-euphonium ensemble, which will play across from Ginger Hill Tavern for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
New this year, the Tour of Lights will run from Nov. 21 through Jan. 6, allowing visitors to see decorated homes and businesses throughout Slippery Rock. Route information is available at slipperyrockpa.org/touroflights.html.
The event will also feature a $1 raffle for an electric bike, with all other activities being free. McPherson hopes to see the community come out and enjoy the festivities.
“We want everybody to come down. We want you to go to our local restaurants and eat. We want you to have a good time,” McPherson said. “…Enjoy the season. We just want it to be fun.”
