With wreaths and snowflakes hung on the street lamps and a record number of businesses displaying festive storefronts, Macdonald Avenue is in the holiday spirit.
More importantly, the downtown corridor is ready for its main event: the annual Downtown Holiday Festival, when the the Winters Building at 339 11th St., home of the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, becomes a winter wonderland.
The free festival, which runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, invites families from the Iron Triangle and surrounding communities to enjoy festive music, refreshments, visits and photos with Santa Claus, caroling and the holiday performance of A Richmond Nutcracker by the Iron Triangle Theater and the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts,
Santa’s special appearance will be in the first-floor Community Theater from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Guests are also invited to Ask a Doc with Kaiser Permanente physicians, and enjoy a book giveaway, multi-cultural creativity zone, and fun games with jolly elves.
Upstairs, A Richmond Nutcracker will have two 45-minute performances from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Following the second performance, a procession will lead guests outdoors for group caroling and the ceremonial illumination of the holiday street lights.
Admission is free and made possible through generous support from Mechanics Bank, LifeLong Medical Care, and Sims Metal Management with generous support from City of Richmond, NIAD Art Center, Kaiser Richmond, West County Reads, Friends of the Richmond Public Library, RPAL, and individual donors.
