Sat 11/29 @ 11AM

It’s that time of the year. You haven’t even put away the leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner and the Christmas season has already attained breakneck pace. The post-Thanksgiving weekend is packed with artisan fairs, makers markets, and holiday kickoff festivals.

There are big winterfests in Akron and Cleveland. But if you’d prefer something a little more intimate, the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Kent are offering their Festival of Lights on Small Business Sunday to get everyone in the holiday spirit and to guide people into the many small businesses that fill downtown Kent.

You can start by stopping in Main Street Kent’s office at 154 N. Water Street between 11am and 2pm to pick up a free tote bag — hint hint. Grab a free hot cocoa bar and a photo with the Black Squirrel Elf before heading out to fill up that tote bag.

All through town at shops, restaurants and bars, there will be specials, and from 4:30-8:30pm there’ll be outdoor screenings of Elf and the 1966 animated Grinch showing on loop on Erie Street between the PARTA deck and Kent State Hotel.

The day builds up to the arrival in a carriage of Santa and Mrs. Claus on Franklin Avenue at 5:30pm, where they’ll join the mayor in lighting up the 20-foot Christmas tree. Over in the gazebo there’ll be hot chocolate and cookies, kids’ books and letter-writing to Santa. Once Santa gets out of the carriage, you can get in: there’ll be carriage rides leaving from The Loft.

For more information and a full schedule of activities go here.