Culture

Downtown San Jose holiday festivities shake things up


One of the soft foam turkeys that will dropped by a helicopter on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos in 2022. The stunt is a tribute to a famed 1978 episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati." (Photo courtesy Hiller Aviation Museum)

Christmas in the Park, San Jose’s beloved holiday tradition for more than 40 years, will open as usual Friday night at downtown’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez with the lighting of its 65-foot high tree at 6 p.m.

But there are some changes worth knowing about this year to both Christmas in the Park and the Winter Wonderland event that runs at the same time.

To start with, Winter Wonderland’s signature giant Ferris wheel still will be on Park Avenue, but that will be the only carnival style ride there for the first two weeks of the event. Instead, the weekends-only Culture Night Market Holiday Gift Fair will take place on Paseo de San Antonio from 5-10 p.m. Nov. 29-Dec. 1 and Dec. 5-8.

San Jose Councilmember Arjun Batra decorates a tree sponsored by his office at Christmas In the Park, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

A tree decorated as a Girl Scout catches the eye of a couple walking through the annual Christmas In the Park coming together, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

A tree decorated as a Girl Scout catches the eye of a couple walking through the annual Christmas In the Park coming together, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Miles Street helps his sister Grace decorate her Girl Scout’s exhibit at Christmas In the Park, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Kat Street decorates a tree by her Girl Scout troop at Christmas In the Park, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

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The carnival rides will arrive Dec. 13, providing some family-friendly thrills through New Year’s Day. You can check www.winterwonderlandsj.com for ticket information and hours.

Annie Hermes of Messenger Events, which produces Winter Wonderland, said that change stemmed partly from feedback from San Jose State University, which has students living in the new Spartan Village on the Paseo. Makes sense, as they’ll probably be studying for finals or at least rushing to classes and having kids and carnival rides is certainly a distraction (though one some may appreciate).

“Our goal is to make this year’s Winter Wonderland bigger and more magical than ever,” Hermes said. Teaming up with Culture Night Market and the people behind San Jose Day is a good start — and a good way to get more exposure for local vendors and artisans.

Christmas in the Park has some changes of its own. Santa’s …read more

Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment

      

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