Here’s a little good news from the ABJ:
Cancellation of Christmas not an option
City telling Santa Claus he’ll be needed Friday
By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Nov 24, 2009
What’s Christmas without a little fun, and what’s Christmas without Santa Claus?
Budget cuts in the city have caused downsizing, but the city is not canceling Christmas, thanks to downtown merchants and area businesses.
”The holidays are alive and well in downtown Akron and we want to continue our big holiday presence,” Kimberlee McKee, president of the Downtown Akron Partnership, said Monday. ”The Holidayfest and Chriskindl Market will both take place at Lock 3, just on a smaller scale.”
In a publicity stunt Monday, McKee filed a missing person’s report for Santa Claus, just to make sure he isn’t under the impression festivities are canceled and he’s not needed for the traditional lighting of the city’s Christmas tree at 7
p.m., Friday, as well as the Welcome Santa Parade at noon Saturday in downtown Akron.
”It’s become an annual tradition to kick off the holidays in downtown with fireworks and the lighting of our Christmas tree,” McKee said. ”Unless we find Santa Claus before Friday, the holidays in downtown Akron just won’t be the same.”
Akron police Chief Craig Gilbride took the missing person’s report, vowing that Santa Claus, aka Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or St. Nick, will be found in time for the holiday events. In fact, the report states he was last seen at Lock 3 in Akron on Dec. 25, 2008, and ”never misses the festivities.”
McKee said the Downtown Akron Partnership contributed $8,000 for Friday night’s lighting ceremony and fireworks display. Other donations came from the Knight Foundation, the Akron Community Foundation, FirstMerit Bank, Goodyear, Bridgestone and a dozen other businesses.
Three Chemnitz, Germany, vendors will return to the city on their own, even though the city is not able to support the sister-city exchange. It will be the sixth year at Lock 3 for Mario Hausdorfer (glass ornaments), Frank Kuhnert (wooden items) and Georg Wolfe (ceramics). This year they will be joined at Chriskindl Market by local artisans, artists and craftsmen.
McKee said there will be different local vendors each weekend, so people are encouraged to visit often.
A new feature at this year’s market is the Everything Akron store operated by the Akron-Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau, which will sell Akron hats, mugs, shirts, bags and office products.
Skating will still be available at Lock 3 for free. Skate rental is $2. The ice rink will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7:30 to 10 p.m. the day after Thanksgiving, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. It will remain open into January. Times vary and are listed on the city’s Web site, along with all other downtown festivities, at http://www.downtownakron.com or http://www.lock3live.com.
”Downtown Akron hosting the holidays in downtown Akron is such a great tradition, we just wanted to continue it,” McKee said. ”It should be a very fun evening for everyone.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.