Holidayfest begins with a bang at 6:30 p.m. November 25 as Radio City Music Hall’s Santa Claus visits Lock 3 Park for an hour-long holiday lighting spectacular. Featuring music, dancers, figure skaters and more, Santa will brighten downtown with fireworks and his own special lighting extravaganza. Produced by Akron native Mark Cheplowitz of The Wizard of Ah’s and WKYC Channel 3, the Holiday Lighting Ceremony will broadcast live on Time Warner Channel 23 from 6:30 - 7 p.m. and WKYC Channel 3 from 7 - 7:30 p.m.

The holiday fun continues Saturday, November 26 as the City of Akron Recreation Bureau presents the 19th Annual "Welcome Santa" Holiday Parade at noon. Lead by a 19-piece German Miner band from Akron’s sister city of Chemnitz, the parade also features special guest Bourgemeister (BER ger mys ter) Detlef Nonnen, (DET lef- NAH nun) mayor of Chemnitz, (KEM nits) as well as holiday floats, marching bands, drill teams, color guards, majorettes, animals, costumed characters and of course, Santa.

The popular ice skating rink and Chriskindl (kris KIN dul) Market at Lock 3 Park return, opening in conjunction with the Holiday Lighting Ceremony on Friday November 25. Drawing nearly 50,000 visitors to downtown Akron in 2004, the popular outdoor rink and Chriskindl Market are both expanded this year, with the rink almost doubling in size to 80’ x 120’. Admission is free and skates are available to rent for $2.00.

The Chriskindl Market features four new cottages built by technical education students from Ellet and Kenmore high schools. They are added to the eight existing cottages constructed by volunteers and Akron firefighters in 2004. Visitors to the Chriskindl Market will find many of the same specialty gift and food items for sale as last year as well as a variety of new items, including potato pancakes, soups and cakes served inside a heated tent called The Hutzenstub. (HUT sun stub [HUT-pronounced like foot. Stub uses same sound as the "oo" in foot])

Ice skating, music and dance performances will take place at Lock 3 throughout the month of December by German performers, along with arts and crafts demonstrations by Chemnitz craftsmen. On December 2 and 3, children are invited to make their own lanterns and join the German Miner Band for a traditional lantern parade through the park.

Sponsored by the City of Akron and its holiday event partners, entertainment options abound throughout downtown Akron this holiday season. The Children’s Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker, along with Tuba Christmas and Larry Wilgus’s Christmas Music Spectacular all take place at the Akron Civic Theatre.

The Holiday Tree Festival sponsored by Akron Children’s Hospital returns for its 24^th year at the John S. Knight Center while E.J. Thomas Hall welcomes the Akron Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Handel’s Messiah on December 9 and The Harlem Boys Choir on December 10.

Also at E.J. Thomas Hall, shoppers will delight at the hand crafted art available during the Christmas Arts and Crafts Show, December 2-4.

At the Akron Zoo, kids can snack with Santa while at the Akron-Summit County Public Library families are invited for hot-chocolate and a story-telling of the popular Polar Express book.

Rounding out the month long festivities on December 31, Downtown Akron Partnership’s First NightŪ Akron celebrates its 10^th anniversary with a family-friendly celebration of the arts featuring music, dancing theatre, kids’ activities and a fireworks display.

Throughout Holidayfest, visitors wishing to extend their downtown holiday fun receive special room rates from November 1 - January 31 at the Crowne Plaza Quaker Square.