Home for the Holidays Returns This Weekend!
By Ellen Putnam
Home for the Holidays Last Year
Photo Credit: Nancy Clover
You can find our interactive maps of Home for the Holidays weekend here! We have created three separate maps for the three days of the event: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can use the filters on the maps to see the main events as well as suggestions for restaurants, gifts, and where to find hot drinks and pit stops. Did we miss something? Drop us a line at editor@themelrosemessenger.org!
This weekend, the Melrose Chamber of Commerce will host Home for the Holidays, the annual citywide holiday open house that marks the start of the holiday season for many Melrosians.
For the most up-to-date information, check the Melrose Chamber of Commerce site.
Friday Evening:
The festivities will begin on Friday evening at 5:45pm, with singing and lighting the Christmas tree in front of City Hall. Then Santa will ride down Main Street on a fire engine, accompanied by the Melrose High School School Drummers.
Santa will end up at the Knights of Columbus for pictures, hot cocoa, and music. Temple Beth Shalom will be selling latkes, sufganiyot, and other Hanukkah treats between 6-8pm. First Congregational Church will be hosting their Winter Wonderland fair, with loaded baked potatoes on offer. And Trinity Episcopal Church will be hosting their annual Festival of Trees.
See our interactive map for all of the special events that will be happening on Friday evening, along with some suggestions for where you can sit down for dinner or pick up a gift while you're out!
Saturday, All Day:
On Saturday between 10am and 2pm, holiday trolleys will be running along two routes, northern and southern. Both trolley routes begin and end at Cedar Park, where kids can get reindeer rides and Santa will make an appearance.
Events will be taking place throughout the city, and the trolleys will help attendees get from one place to the next easily and quickly. Many local churches, schools, businesses, and organizations are hosting holiday fairs, tree sales, and other special events.
Performances of the Melrose Youth Ballet's Nutcracker will be running all weekend at Memorial Hall. (Get your tickets ahead of time - they are likely to sell out all five performances!). And Polymnia Choral Society will be presenting their holiday concert at St. Mary's Church at 7:30pm on Saturday night.
See our interactive map for all of the special events that will be happening all day Saturday. We've also listed where you can get a bite to eat, pick up a gift, get a hot cup of cocoa or cider, or make a pit stop.
Sunday, All Day:
On Sunday, there will be a holiday swap and a Children's Holiday Party at the Mt Hood Clubhouse - and Santa will stop by Rising Eagle for brunch.
See our interactive map for everything that will be happening on Sunday.