Holiday Hoopla Prepares To Welcome Santa To Cedar Falls Parkade

Cedar Falls Community Main Street is preparing to fill the Parkade with holiday cheer, in the form of fireworks, live animals and grinch beards, among other things.

The Hoopla will kickoff with the traditional welcoming of Santa, whose exact point and time of arrival is kept a closely guarded secret until the event, slated to start at 6 p.m., Nov. 25.

Live entertainment and food will fill downtown streets to keep revelers entertained until Santa’s arrival. The jolly man in red’s appearance will precede a march down Main Street for the lighting of the Main Street Sculpture Tree at First Street and Main Street, followed by a firework display over the Cedar River by Gateway Park.

In the following weeks, a large itinerary of downtown events and contests is planned. The full list of activities can be found here.

Highlights include:

- Jingle and Mingle on Main, Dec. 1, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., featuring free horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, Santa’s Workshop, a live nativity, refreshments and discounts and prizes at downtown businesses.

- Breakfast at the North Pole, (also known as the Community Center), Dec. 3, 8 a.m to 11 a.m. Tickets, $6, available here and at many downtown businesses.

- An ice carving demonstration, Dec. 8, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

- Santa’s Snow Shuffle 5K Fun Run/Walk, Dec. 10, beginning 9 a.m., registration available here.

- A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Cedar Falls ice skating rink, Dec. 15. Musical groups will also carol and perform throughout the Parkade from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

- A Santa’s Beard contest at Dec. 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for Best Santa Beard, Scruffiest Grinch Beard, Best Design, Longest Goatee, Biggest Chops or Best Groomed. Facial hair champions can register at Kate’s On Main until Dec. 14.

- A free screening of Jingle All The Way at the , Dec. 17, 10 a.m.

Intrigued? Learn more about the Hoopla here and stay tuned to Patch for updates and photos from the revelry.