the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The 34th Annual Downtown for the Holidays – December 6th – Come and enjoy this annual event, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., sponsored by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce. East Ridgewood Avenue, from Walnut Street through Broad Street, becomes a pedestrian mall with lots of entertainment, and the lighting of the Christmas tree.
The evening begins with Santa in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square for the “wee tots”, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Trackless train rides will take place, weather permitting. There will also be live entertainment by the “clock”, and in the stores and restaurants along East Ridgewood Ave, featuring the RHS Marching Band, RHS Carolers, RHS Orchestra, and Jamboree 2019.
This year, to celebrate the Village’s 125th Anniversary, there will be a special event during Downtown for the Holidays, Fire and Light, also beginning at 5:30 p.m. and continuing to 9:00 p.m., in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. This event is co-sponsored by the Ridgewood Fire Department, Ridgewood Local 47 FMBA, and Ridgewood Parks and Recreation. Warming stations with crackling log fires, seating, a place to socialize, and s’mores roasting will take place.
From 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., there will be live entertainment on stage, at the Christmas tree (located at the intersection of East Ridgewood Avenue and Broad Street), featuring performances by: Porch Light Productions, Heart of Motion, RHS Marching Band, Taekowondo All In and more!
At approximately 7:30 p.m., the Christmas tree lighting will take place.
From 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. there will be “merriment” on E. Ridgewood Avenue, including:
Santa in the Park to listen to your Christmas wish lists, lots of music on East Ridgewood Avenue, and trackless train rides – weather permitting.
Restaurant reservations are suggested.
Streets will open up at 9:00 p.m.
The holiday fun continues on Saturday, December 7th
10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. – Santa arrives at Columbia Bank (60 South Broad Street) in a fire truck all children attending will receive a gift and a picture with Santa.
10:30 a.m. – FREE movie for children at BowTie Warner Theatre on East Ridgewood Avenue. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Santa will be in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square to listen to everyone’s Christmas wish lists, on December 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and on December 14th and 21st from Noon to 3:00 p.m., weather permitting.
The celebration of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, will be celebrated on December 22nd at 5:30 p.m. with the annual Menorah lighting, located on the corner of Memorial Park at Van Neste Square and East Ridgewood Avenue. Hanukkah known as the “Festival of Lights”, starts the evening of December 22 and ends the evening of December 30th.
December 23rd the Ridgewood blog Festivus Celebration
December 24th and 25th – All Village offices are closed in observance of the Christmas holiday. The Police Department, on the second floor of Village Hall, will be open on this holiday. Please check your Village calendars for garbage and recycling pickup on December 24th.
December 31st – All Village offices will be open regular hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
January 1st – All Village offices will be closed in observance of the New Year’s holiday. There will be no sanitation or recycling pick up and the Recycling Center will also be closed on this day. The Police Department, on the second floor of Village Hall, will be open on this holiday.
Ridgewood should always be a pedestrian centered town. Modernism and cars will always win out, sadly, but the cozy small walking based cities of the past will always live on in my heart.. I need to visit Europe soon.
Awesome tradition continues and as usual a tremendous success.
And next year we’ll chop down another tree and do it all over again. Why you say?
We’ll do anything to get you liberal tree huggers pissed off.
Merry Christmas!
How long would a Norway Spruce typically live if it weren’t cut down? And how tall can they get?