Christmas cheer comes to Warrenton

By: Adam Rollins, Staff Writer
Posted 12/10/20

Holidays may look a lot different this year, but businesses in downtown Warrenton were happy to maintain at least one holiday tradition with their annual Hometown Christmas festival on Dec. 5.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Christmas cheer comes to Warrenton

Posted

Holidays may look a lot different this year, but businesses in downtown Warrenton were happy to maintain at least one holiday tradition with their annual Hometown Christmas festival on Dec. 5.

Hundreds of people, many of whom were families with children, came to Warrenton’s Main Street to watch a lighted parade, see Santa and visit local shops. This was the first time in a number of years a parade was included with the Christmas festival.

Hometown Christmas is organized by the Warrenton Downtown Association. Organizers had feared there might be low turnout due to concerns over COVID-19, said Lori Miller with the downtown association. That concern turned out to be unfounded, and Miller said the event was a general success.

“After being penned up all summer, all cooped up, everybody was ready for an outside event that they could get out to. And the weather was beautiful,” Miller said.

Festivities looked different this year due to the virus. The only outdoor vendor this year was a funnel cake truck. The remainder of the activities before and after the parade were focused on Main Street businesses.

“We tried to make a very kid-friendly event. Most of the stores did a good job partnering with us, as far as providing something for the kids,” Miller said. “The whole goal was to get people downtown, get people involved, and make them aware of some of the small businesses that have popped up.”

“I got a lot of responses of, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know that little business was here,’ ” Miller added.

For the lighted parade, Miller said organizers with the downtown association wanted to start small for the parade’s return. That’s why only non-street legal vehicles were allowed to participate this year. In the future, Miller said organizers might consider growing the parade with larger vehicles and floats.

Miller said the one activity that didn’t get as much engagement as they would like was a scavenger hunt designed to lead families into the participating Main Street businesses. She said COVID concerns likely kept some people outside, although multiple businesses had thriving foot traffic.

Christmas, Warrenton Downtown Association

X