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Arts & Entertainment

Explore Artistic Family Fun At Christmas in the Park

With the help of the Old Poway Park Action Committee and local volunteers, the annual festival returns.

Mark your calendars.

Christmas in the Park is back.

On Dec. 11, will be brimming with local community volunteers — all participating to turn the park into an entertaining holiday extravaganza.

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Overseen by the Old Poway Park Action Committee, and the City Of Poway Community Services Department, Christmas in the Park is a time-honored local treasure that has been returning annually to delight Poway citizens for many years.

Sponsored in part by Home Depot of Poway, Patch.com, and relying heavily on participation from local volunteers, this season's event promises to deliver many of the same wonderful features we know and love. This year's festival will also include some new attractions, like horse-drawn hay rides from the train depot to the Old Poway Village.

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Beginning at 3:30 pm, guests attending the festival can enjoy several features of the expansive holiday event, including a miniature art fair filled with handcrafted gifts, Christmas caroling, and live music provided by a brass band and local school choral groups.

Those attending the event are highly encouraged to bring an ornament from home in order to participate in the community tree decorating event, which will conclude in a tree lighting ceremony set to take place at 5:20 p.m.

For families with little ones, it's a great idea to head over and visit Old Saint Nick's workshop and learn how to make fun holiday crafts with the assistance of Santa's helpers.

If you're hungry, the festival will also provide a plethora of local food prepared by community vendors, all with a variety of tasty treats for sale.

When it comes to entertainment, Christmas in the Park festival will also feature a number of holiday dance performances and a production of The Nutcracker, hosted in part by artists from the Poway Center of Performing Arts.

To make your experience even more memorable, those in attendance will also get the chance to take pictures with Santa, who will arrive by train with Mrs. Claus at 5:30 p.m., along with the park's western gunfighters.

Additionally,  for those who would like to learn a little more about the park, there will be a model railroad on display at the Porter house, and the Heritage Musem will also be open.

Remember to visit areas of the park like the Nelson House, where you can see historical furnishings surrounded by festive holiday decorations.

For added safety, much like other events at Old Poway Park, Christmas in the Park event will be presided over by a staff of volunteer park rangers to ensure the well being of everyone who attends.

With so many wonderful points of interest, this year's festival is sure to be an old-fashioned holiday event definitely worth experiencing.

For more information about the Christmas In The Park festival, you call the Old Poway Park Information Office at: (858) 668-4576, or visit Old Poway's website at: http://www.poway.org/Index.aspx?page=110.

Happy Holidays! And, be sure to look for the Reindeer Patch sponsored by your favorite reporters.

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