PIQUA — Downtown Piqua’s annual Christmas celebration, Christmas on the Green, will light up North Main Street and vicinity, Friday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The event is coordinated by Mainstreet Piqua and is family-friendly.
Highlights include strolling characters, carriage rides and children’s activities. Community caroling, along with live entertainment, will be at the gazebo on the square, and additional activities will be spread over the 300 and 400 blocks of North Main Street. There will also be food vendors in the quad on the east side of Fort Piqua Plaza as well as the 400 block of North Main Street.
Caroling is a central feature of Christmas on the Green and will begin at approximately 7 p.m. Piqua High School’s “The Company” will lead the caroling and there will also be a performance by the barbershop group, “After School.” Live music also will be offered at the gazebo. The Gotham City Brass quintet will make their way throughout downtown Piqua from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
There will be a live, ice-sculpting demonstration in front of Apple Tree Gallery starting at about 6 p.m. done by Dayton-based ice sculptor Ramon, who will do two different sculptures during the course of the evening. Each sculpture starts as a 400-pound rectangular block of ice, but with the help of a chainsaw, router, chisel, hammer and various other tools Ramon creates angels, carolers, animals and a host of other beautiful creations.
There will be several costumed characters strolling around the downtown. Santa will be in the lobby of the Piqua Public Library from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. In addition, there will be visits by a gingerbread boy, nutcracker, Frosty the Snowman and a toy soldier.
The library’s children’s activities will be in the Children’s Department on the lower level of the library.
The Kiddie Christmas Shop in the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce at Ash and Main streets allows kids to pick out gifts for loved ones under the careful supervision of volunteers and within a preset budget. Items are arranged into men’s, ladies and children’s categories to give little shoppers great ideas for everyone on their lists. The shop will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2, from noon to 2 p.m., prior to and directly after the Downtown Piqua Holiday Parade.
The horse-drawn carriage rides will be in front of Can’t Stop Running in the 300 block of North Main Street. The carriage ride route will be Main Street to Market Street and north on Wayne Street to Ash Street and back to Main Street. Rides are $1 per person.
For more information about these activities, call Mainstreet Piqua at 937-773-9355 or visit www.mainstreetpiqua.com
