The holiday season is fast approaching, and Downtown Guelph is ready to dazzle with its annual Spirit of the Season celebration.
Presented by the Downtown Guelph Business Association (DGBA) and proudly sponsored by Co-operators, this year’s extravaganza promises to create unforgettable memories for all.
Something for Everyone in Downtown Guelph
The event combines downtown Guelph’s exciting holiday activities into one incredible event. Over the first two full weekends in December, discover the magic of the holidays with the Guelph Community Santa Parade, Santa Run, Mayor and Council’s Tree Lighting, an indoor/outdoor market, and a storefront design contest. The market festival huts provided by the DGBA will return to St. George’s Square this year to showcase local artisans and food.
Heather LeBar, Volunteer Project Manager for Spirit of the Season, is excited for the community to come together for this spectacular event.
“North Fire Circus is returning and will perform two fire shows to accommodate the demand we saw last year. We know some people were disappointed to miss these incredible performers last year and wanted to make it easier for everyone to enjoy the show,” she says. “We have returning and new vendors joining us at the expanded indoor and outdoor markets. We also have more music, live and dj’d, local entertainers, like the Rainbow Chorus, and even a Princess Party! And of course, I can't forget the Santa Parade, which will again be an evening event. Last year we had record attendance for our first night parade and we’re excited to see the magic of the lights and music again.”
Getting the Most Out of Spirit of the Season
The event schedule is well organized so everyone can participate. The indoor and outdoor Christmas marketplace is open on all six days of the event: December 6-8 and December 13-15. The Mayor and Council Tree Lighting at City Hall sets the scene on Friday, December 6 and voting begins that same day for the storefront window decorating contest. The Guelph Community Santa Parade and Santa Run will take place in the evening of December 7.
LeBar adds, “Keep an eye on our website spiritoftheseasonguelph.com as well as our socials. We will be posting updates and a detailed event schedule soon so that you can make the most out of your experience.”
Supporting Keep Kids Fed at Home
This year, Spirit of the Season is proud to support the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington’s Keep Kids Fed At Home program (formerly Food4Kids Guelph). Keep Kids Fed At Home supports the local community and help bridge the weekend and holiday hunger gap for local kids, providing them with nutritious take-home food bags.
"We value the incredible work the Children’s Foundation does in our community and when considering where to direct our support it was a unanimous decision to get behind Keep Kids Fed At Home, their newly unified program. Christmas is a special time for children and we wanted to put our community kids at the heart of event,” explains LeBar.
Generous Sponsors and Dedicated Volunteers Make the Event Possible
This year’s sponsors are key in the success of the event. Thanks to Co-operators, Cooper Construction, Conestoga College, Acqua Salon, Linamar, Barzotti Woodworking Ltd , Tricar, Buon Gusto, Wood Development Group, Guelph Storm, Sutherland Insurance, Apple Salon, Sabrina Essery at Royal Lepage, Guelph City Realty, Speedy Auto Service Guelph, Manor Landscaping, 519 Group, Knar Jewellery, and Copper Rose Distillery, the DGBA can provide the community with this spectacular event while supporting kids in the community.
In addition to the sponsors, the event relies heavily on volunteers. The Spirit of the Season planning committee is largely volunteer run. These dedicated folks ensure that the community is able to enjoy this magical event year after year.
For more information about Spirit of the Season, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X.