Sandwich to celebrate A Merry Little Sandwich Christmas Saturday

A Christmas tree lighting ceremony, visits with Santa and cookie decorating are just some of the activities on tap as part of Saturday’s A Merry Little Sandwich Christmas event.

A Merry Little Sandwich Christmas will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Park, 151 E. Railroad St. in downtown Sandwich. A Merry Little Sandwich Christmas is being presented by the Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce and Sandwich Park District.

The event is a longstanding tradition in the community. The event will feature a number of activities, including a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Santa will arrive on a fire truck and then will light the tree with the help of a child.

“The community can buy a raffle ticket and then that raffle winner gets to pull the light switch,” said Yari Aguado, executive director of the Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce.

Following the ceremony, Santa will greet visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Sandwich Opera House, located at 140 E. Railroad St. across the street from Veterans Park.

Those who stop at the Chamber’s table at the event can pick up a free stocking filled with goodies provided by Chamber businesses. The stockings are provided through the sponsorship of In-Town Self Storage.

Each family will receive a free stocking, but supplies are limited.

“We only have 240 stockings,” Aguado said.

New this year, a school bus will take community members around the city to view light displays. The activity is sponsored by A&B Exteriors and Lake Holiday Homes.

There will also be story time at the Village Square Mall in downtown Sandwich.

“Community members can also make their pet a treat at The Pet Parlor and then right next door at the Petite Palette, you can make reindeer food,” Aguado said.

As part of an activity sponsored by Dojo Dynamics, kids can write letters to Santa.

“After they’re done writing letters to Santa, they can head over to the Opera House and hand deliver the letters to Santa,” she said. “Or, if they already visited Santa, they can also mail the letter.”

Kids can burn off some energy in the bounce house that is being sponsored by the Sandwich Fire District.

Food and drink vendors will also be at the event. Scooter’s Coffee will be giving away free hot cocoa and Heartland Bank and Trust will be giving away popcorn at the City Hall Annex in downtown Sandwich.

Angie’s Sugar Buzz Bakery will be doing cookie decorating in the community room at the Sandwich Opera House. Aguado is happy so many Chamber members are participating in A Merry Little Sandwich Christmas.

“Our Chamber members are incredible,” she said. “They are really pulling through and I’m really excited for the event this Saturday.”

More information is available at Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page at facebook.com/sandwichchamber.