Downtown Hillsboro is getting ready to swap its usual weekend bustle for twinkling lights, carolers and a crowd of holiday shoppers on Nov. 21, when the city's annual Holly Days celebration takes over Historic Downtown Hillsboro from 2 to 7 p.m. The free festival caps the afternoon with a 6 p.m. tree lighting at Civic Center Plaza, followed by a community sing-along.
Holly Days is an annual downtown celebration. As OregonLive reports, the city of Hillsboro hosts the annual celebration in downtown, with activities for all ages including a youth village, artisan market, live music and visits with Santa Claus.
Once the tree is lit at Civic Center Plaza, the Oregon Chorale will lead attendees in singing Christmas carols around the tree, according to Your Oregon News. That same outlet notes the Cultural Arts District Stage will host an afternoon of live performances.
Vendors, Carolers and a Bigger Footprint This Year
At the heart of the day is the Tuesday Night Market Winter Fair, which the Hillsboro Herald's report describes as featuring more than 100 local vendors. Organizers say this year's festivities will stretch along Third Avenue, where M&M Marketplace and Paisanos Plaza are offering culturally diverse entertainment, food and music, per the same account from Your Oregon News.
Beyond the market stalls, the celebration includes a handmade-goods market, carolers, live music and activities for all ages, according to downtownhillsboro.org, the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership's event page. Families looking for a classic holiday photo can head to the Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre's North Pole on Second Avenue, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will be posing for pictures, the same report from Your Oregon News notes.
How the Tree Gets to Civic Center Plaza
Before the lights go on, the tree itself has to make its journey into downtown. It's scheduled to travel down Main Street this Friday, Nov. 13, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., on its way to installation at Civic Plaza, according to downtownhillsboro.org's event listing.
Getting downtown for the Nov. 21 festivities doesn't require driving, either. The Hillsboro Central Transit Center sits just a few steps from the event, and it's served by the MAX Blue Line along with several frequent bus lines, the same site notes.
A Wide Cast of Local Partners
Holly Days isn't a one-organization show. The Hillsboro Downtown Partnership is leading the event in collaboration with the city's Cultural Arts District, Tuesday Night Marketplace, Evergreen Christian Center, Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre, M&M Marketplace, Paisanos Plaza, Oregon Chorale and the Hillsboro Dance Center, according to Your Oregon News. OregonLive's report similarly points to local businesses and organizations participating in the celebration alongside Hillsboro Parks & Recreation and the city's Community & Economic Development office.
With a free admission policy, more than 100 vendors and entertainment spreading across multiple downtown blocks, Holly Days is shaping up as one of the bigger gatherings on Hillsboro's winter calendar this year. Families planning to catch the tree lighting or browse the artisan market have just over a week to mark their calendars for the Nov. 21 afternoon-into-evening event.
