The event begins as Santa Claus winds around the Barrie streets and makes his way to Memorial Square for the tree lighting and fireworks ceremony. The Downtown Barrie Business Association has been hard at work to ensure that the event becomes a much-anticipated one as the years continue.
“The tree lighting and day of the parade activities have been happening for years,” said Craig Stevens, Managing Director of the BIA. “We have always proclaimed the day as a kick-off for Christmas in the area, but now we are really trying to make it an everyday event for the city. The name is an obvious salute to the successful Coachella and while on a much smaller scale, we hope everyone gets excited about it every year.”
Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Memorial Square there are many things to keep you busy as you await Santa’s arrival at approximately 6:30 p.m. Face-painting, hot chocolate and the holiday film Arthur Christmas will keep you occupied, and it may serve you well to be in a giving mood as ROCK 95 and KOOL FM’s annual Toy and Food Drive will be accepting donations.
“That’s always a great part of Barrie’s Christmas season,” said Stevens. “It’s such a well-known charity and people look forward to bringing their kids to the drop-off spots to give to those who need it. Tim Hortons is a major sponsor for this event and will also be accepting donations that will get you a free hot chocolate.”
This year’s Noella is a 43 day affair and you may want to keep checking its website to stay in the loop. Every Friday starting in mid-December will see Memorial Square turned into a giant Festive Tree Lot.
When you purchase a $40 tree, you will receive a $40 gift coupon for participating downtown establishments. Money raised there will go to Hospice Simcoe. There is also Festive Fridays where purchases made after 3 p.m. at participating locations will be entered in a draw for a chance to win a prize package worth over $2,500.
“Festive Fridays has been a very popular day in the past and it runs every Friday from Nov. 25 to Dec. 16,” said Stevens. “It’s a great way to cross people off your Christmas list and give money back to the community. You can also have your name put in the draw by donating a toy or perishable food item to the participating locations.”
"The BIA wants folks to get interactive with their downtown, and besides encouraging Barrie to use the #festivefridays hashtag this season, all are welcome to help judge the window decorating contest that will happening. Downtown establishments will have til Thursday Nov. 17 to get their windows decorated so a strolling panel of judges on Friday night can pick a winner that will be announced at the Nov. 19 Tree Lighting ceremony."
Stevens says that since the people in the city will be seeing these windows for the rest of the holiday season, they should get a chance to say whose is best.
“We plan on having a People’s Choice award,” said Stevens. “We want people to head downtown after Friday and, take a pic of the window they feel is best decorated and tweet it or post it on Facebook or Instagram to us. We want everyone to feel that Noella is their event.”
The Downtown BIA social media sites are @DowntownBarrie for Twitter, @downtownbarrie on Instagram and of course, on Facebook at Downtown Barrie Business Association.
With all the newer events happening, Stevens wants everyone to remember the yearly activities that will take place and will start to be organized more under the banner of Noella.
“Definitely check out the Barrie Rotary Club’s Festival of Lights as they put so much work into that,” said Stevens.
“The City Hall Ice Rink will be a hit should the weather cooperate and the downtown New Year’s countdown is always a big night for the city. The really cool things though are all the events that are yet to be announced and are coming. Keep tuned to the website as all the live Christmas music that will hit the many establishments downtown are still being organized for Noella.”
Visit the Noella website here.
