(Press Release)

‘Tis the season to be… downtown! Mark your calendar now for Temple’s first Christmas Bells & Bows Celebration, December 1-6. This fun-filled week will include live entertainment, arts & crafts, food, fun and SNOW! That’s right – event organizers are forecasting snow on the plaza in the form of a 30-foot-tall snow slide!

The week kicks off Monday with the annual downtown Christmas Parade, tree lighting, carolers, and the SPJST Home Office Holiday Open House. All week, participants can enjoy live Christmas performances at the Gazebo, view the entries into the TISD Christmas Tree Contest, and visit the Christmas Market, which will be open Tuesday through Friday, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Railroad & Heritage Museum will extend its hours all week long and participants can visit the Santa Fe Depot to enjoy hot cocoa and the Snowman Building Contest. The week culminates on Saturday, when the Depot will be celebrating “An Old-Fashioned Christmas” and children of all ages can catch a special showing of The Polar Express. Carolers from local churches will perform holiday favorites throughout the day and to tops things off, Santa himself will arrive on a train!

Tuesday through Friday, bundle up and take a carriage ride through the downtown area. On Tuesday, get creative and blow your own glass Christmas ornament at Ryno Glass.