Written by Jessica Buchholz
It’s that time of year again, Holiday on 44th is back for another round of magical holiday cheer. Mark your calendars for Friday, December 5, when 44th Avenue North will be closed from Morgan to Upton Avenues to host some familiar favorites and activities from last year, along with some exciting new additions! This family-friendly community event brings together some of the Northside’s most talented residents and area artists. There will be musical performances, hot chocolate, s’mores by the fire, trolley rides, scrumptious food and of course, photos with Santa Claus and other festive characters! To make attending even easier, Metro Transit will offer free rides to the event! Indoor activities and stops will be open from 6-9 p.m., and a finale performance will last until 9:30 p.m.
The festivities begin at Camden High School, where 50 unique craft vendors will be on hand for holiday shopping. Local organizations will also share community resources and lead activities for all ages. Visitors will be able to take fun photos with the “Mean One.” The Camden Boosters, along with other student groups, will participate as well. Outside the doors, guests will be greeted by a pair of friendly llamas while waiting for the trolley.
Once on the trolley, riders can stop at Pickles for mouthwatering pizza and then make their way to Hot Comics. This will be Hot Comic’s last year in this location, so community members are encouraged to stop by and show them love and support while they are still here. Outside of Hot Comics, a few storybook ‘characters’ will be roaming around taking photos and enjoying the live music, as well as a Metro Transit Twinkle Bus. Just a few steps away, Doorway to Better Health will be open, offering chair massages and gift certificates.
Continuing down 44th, guests will arrive at Faith Baptist Church for a live nativity, petting zoo, free cookies and cocoa, and Azerbaijani socks will be on sale for a good cause. Just down the street, neighborhood gem Dancing Bear Chocolate, will be open and providing chocolate, cocoa and treats for sale as well as photo opportunities with another “Mean One.”
The final trolley stop before the return route is Loring Elementary. Here families can visit Santa, listen to live musical performances, visit the kids’ art fair, fun activities, enjoy a soup supper made by the Loring Kids Cook Classroom and so much more!
To cap off the night, a joyous outdoor sing-a-long and final performance will begin at 8:45 p.m. outside of Hot Comics. All neighbors are invited to gather outside for this celebration, marking the perfect end to a magical night along 44th Avenue.
We look forward to celebrating the season with you! See the full schedule on page 7.