Highlights from Christmas movies on a giant screen will be one of the additions the final two weeks at the Downtown Arcadia Christmas Market from 5-9 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 on First Avenue in Downtown Arcadia. (No rain in the forecast for Saturday! — Friday’s storm to move out by late Friday.)
The videos projected behind the return of the popular Lance and Gary Show band will feature inserted speech bubbles of amusing comments about Arcadia by characters from movies such as “The Grinch” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” The service provided by Lance Cosgrove of the band that has also entertained at Monrovia’s New Year’s Eve street celebrations will also feature logos of sponsors prominently presented over scenes from movies like “Frozen.” (See video loop on YouTube below…)
Also new this week will be a bounce house for kids and an array of vehicles anchored by the myriad cool cars from the monthly Carcadia @Route 66 and hot rods from the 300-member Cal-Rods club. This special Carcadia Christmas is sponsored by Santa Anita Park, which opens its next horse race season on Dec. 26.
All this will be added to the Christmas Market that debuted Dec. 6 to the delight of about 700 attendees who enjoyed rides on a lighted vintage carriage pulled by two large white horses past the newly-lighted and decorated Arcadia Transit Plaza, including a giant holiday tree. This is all free courtesy of sponsor MW Investment Group.
Other crowd favorites are free photos with Santa Claus in front of a vintage fire truck, and blowing snow. The annual Christmas Market between Huntington Drive and Wheeler Avenue, featuring more than 50 vendor food, beverage, and gift booths, is presented by the non-profit community events group Arcadia’s Best Foundation in association with Downtown Arcadia and sponsored primarily by Foothill Gold Line as well as Forest Lawn. Other sponsors include the City of Arcadia, Matt Denny’s Ale House Restaurant, April Verlato – Attorney at Law, and Marie Taylor – NAI Capital. Trash services are provided by Waste Management. The event is produced by Family Festival Productions and designed by GenWay International with equipment from Town & Country Event Rentals.
Matt Denny’s will be selling delicious Sloppy Joe’s at the Dec. 13 event.
— By Scott Hettrick