By Sadie Hunter
Beginning only one day after Thanksgiving, local organizations will partner for a kickoff to Christmas and the holiday season.
Nov. 25 marks the day families and community members in Noblesville will celebrate the start of the season with a joint event between Noblesville Main Street, the City of Noblesville, Hamilton County and the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce for ice sculptures around the square, a tree-lighting ceremony, special musical performances inside the Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center and more.
The following is a breakdown of upcoming local holiday events.
NOBLESVILLE MAIN STREET
ICE SCULPTURES
For the past three years, Noblesville Main Street has kept in line with the sudden drop in temperature, featuring business-sponsored ice sculptures surrounding the historic Hamilton County courthouse on the downtown Noblesville square.
Each year, ice sculptures feature 3D images of Santa, snowflakes, gifts, wreaths and trees, animals, toys, bells, sleighs and more while also promoting local businesses.
This year, the event will be held just before the annual tree-lighting ceremony, and Noblesville Main Street Executive Director Chris Owens said he expects nearly 27 pieces to line the sidewalks, all made by an artist at Indiana Ice Studio.
“We had 24 sculptures features in our 2015 event,” Owens said. “This year, we are excited to have added some new sculptures. The proceeds from this event as well as many of the events in the near future go to support Noblesville Main Street and the more than 60 annual programs and events we provide our community.”
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
Running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 28, Small Business Saturday was born out of a campaign by American Express in 2010 to promote shopping locally for the holidays.
In Noblesville, Main Street is working with local merchants to encourage the community to find their gifts downtown.
“Small Saturday is vital to a downtown business climate like Noblesville,” Owens said. “With online shopping, the charm of a true customer service experience can often be lost. Shoppers in our downtown have the chance to interact one-on-one with our store owners and, I think, enjoy a more memorable experience.”
Main Street will have an information tent set up in front of Matteo’s downtown from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day with maps.
FIRST FRIDAY: HOT CHOCOLATE WITH SANTA
Each month, Main Street hosts First Friday events, often in theme with the season. For November, First Friday showcased live models in store windows downtown, promoting merchants’ holiday open houses, where businesses stayed open late to encourage holiday shopping.
For Dec. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m., the organization will partner with Santa to hand out hot chocolate to passersby at “Santa’s House” on the south side of the courthouse square. This event is free.
Nickel Plate Arts also takes part in First Friday. From 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2, community members are invited to join the organization at its campus at 107 S. Eighth St., Noblesville, for activities, entertainment, beer and wine (for purchase). Guests can see and shop for art inside the Judge Stone House gallery holiday boutique during “Gifted IV,” the organization’s annual art show, which focuses on the holiday handcrafted gifts of local art. For more, visit nickelplatearts.org.
HOLIDAY MARKET
The regular farmers market ended in October, but Noblesville Main Street is bringing back its annual one-day holiday market.
Running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, this event will feature more than 70 vendors of original art, quality crafts, holiday décor, vintage collectibles, homemade food, gift items and more. Interested vendors can visit noblesvillemainstreet.org for more.
ANNUAL HOLIDAY DINNER
The public is invited to attend Noblesville Main Street’s annual holiday fundraising dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 4 at Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano, 40 N. Ninth St., Noblesville. The evening will start with a cocktail hour and be followed by dinner from Matteo’s, along with a dessert auction, live music and a bridge-the-gap program new to Noblesville Main Street in 2016.
Each year, the event celebrates sponsors of Noblesville Main Street, members and a look back at the year. Tickets are $75 each. Reservations can be made online at noblesvillemainstreet.org.
NOBLESVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
The Noblesville Chamber of Commerce from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 7 at Purgatory Golf Club, featuring Noblesville High School Singers. $20/members, $26/non-members and all walk-ins, $200/corporate tables of eight. Guests of the event are also encouraged to take part in a toy drive on behalf of the Noblesville Fire Dept.’s annual holiday toy drive, serving children and families in Noblesville. All toys donated must be new and not wrapped. To register, visit noblesvillechamber.com.
TREE LIGHTING & COURTHOUSE FESTIVITIES
This year’s tree lighting and festivities, beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 and taking place inside the Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center on the west side the square, will welcome the David Hartman Trio for opening and closing music. Guests will be greeted by Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt and enjoy a live performance by the Noblesville High School Singers.
Per tradition, the Noblesville mayor will again read “The Night Before Christmas,” and will be accompanied by high school orchestra students. En Pointe dance school’s Robert Moore also will perform Elvis’ “Blue Christmas.” Other performances will include the Noblesville First United Methodist Church Choir and a children’s sing-a-long with Susan and Michael Beckwith.
The ceremony will conclude with the lighting of the tree and turning on of the holiday lights on the square around the historic courthouse.
NOBLESVILLE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE
‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ SCREENING
A new addition to the Nov. 25 tree-lighting event is the showing of “It’s A Wonderful Life.” The 1946 Frank Capra classic starring James Stewart will be screened in the historic courthouse’s second-floor courtroom by the Noblesville Preservation Alliance and Hamilton County TV. Seating is limited to 100 guests and no food or drinks are allowed in the courtroom.
TWELVE HOUSES OF CHRISTMAS
This self-guided driving tour through Old Town Noblesville’s historic districts shows some of its neatest houses, decorated for Christmas and the holidays, each night from 6 to 9 p.m. Maps are available at Nickel Plate Arts in the historic Judge Stone House, 107 S. Eighth St., and Hamilton County Museum of History in the Sheriff’s Residence, 810 Conner St. For more, call 317-426-1672.
CITY OF NOBLESVILLE
38TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARADE
At 2 p.m. Nov. 27, Noblesville’s annual holiday parade will begin at the corner of 16th Street and Harrison Street and will travel south on 16th to Logan Street; west on Logan to Ninth Street; north on Ninth to Monument Street; and east on Monument to 16th Street, where it will end.
SANTA’S HOUSE
For years, Santa has kept a winter-time residence on the square. This year is no exceptiont, and the Hamilton County Historical Society-owned Santa’s House was installed Nov. 20 by the City of Noblesville Street and Fire Depts. Santa can be visited at the house from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 27. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 and 23, 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 , 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 15 and 20, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 24. New this year, from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 6, families can bring their four-legged children to have their picture taken with Santa.
