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Santa Claus set for double duty in county

Santa Claus, shown here reading a list of Christmas wishes presented to him by Ryleigh Whitaker during a visit to the Knight Bergman Center in Warren last year, will make his first official apearance in the county on Friday night, Nov. 23, to light the Warren Christmas tree and hear more wishes at the KBC.
Santa Claus, shown here reading a list of Christmas wishes presented to him by Ryleigh Whitaker during a visit to the Knight Bergman Center in Warren last year, will make his first official apearance in the county on Friday night, Nov. 23, to light the Warren Christmas tree and hear more wishes at the KBC. TAB file photo.

The official word is out – Santa Claus is making a visit to Huntington County in a big way this weekend, during both the Winter Warrenland and Huntington’s Christmas in the City events.

He’ll make his first stop Friday, Nov. 23, at 6 p.m., arriving at the center of Warren, 132 N. Wayne St., in a horse-drawn wagon decorated in Christmas finery. He’ll have an escort courtesy of the Warren Fire Department.

At 6:15 p.m. Santa will oversee the lighting of the town Christmas tree. Then he’ll lead the procession to the Knight Bergman Center, where he will meet and greet children in the center’s auditorium. Elves will usher the kids in to visit with Santa while parents and families enjoy drinks and cookies while they wait.

On Saturday, Nov. 24, children will have another opportunity to chat with Santa Claus and present their Christmas wish list, when he returns to the Knight Bergman Center from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kids will receive a small gift and share cookies, hot chocolate and coffee.

While visiting the Knight Bergman Center, attendees are encouraged to check out the entries in the gingerbread house contest, which will be on display until the end of the day on Saturday.

Santa will return to Warren to visit with children at East of Chicago Pizza on Friday, Nov. 30, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In Huntington, Christmas in the City gets underway on Saturday, Nov. 24, with Santa Claus riding atop a fire truck for his first visit to town this season around 5:45 p.m. for the “Lights of the Night” tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m., taking place downtown at Rotary Centennial Park.

Earlier that day, children’s activities will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the third block of downtown Huntington. The activities include free camel, pony and train rides, a petting zoo, free face painting in the 5th Parlour and ornament painting at Giggabuggy, which has a small fee.

The “Lights of the Night” tree-lighting ceremony will include glow sticks, caroling and treats and candy canes provided by Party Shop elves. The Huntington County Children’s Choir will provide musical entertainment.

Following the lighting ceremony, Santa Claus will lead a procession down Jefferson Street to the Courthouse, where he will visit with children in the Courthouse rotunda. Frederick’s Photography will take free photos with Santa.

While waiting to speak with Santa, children will be offered candy canes from the Party Shop and Bob Burnsworth at Coldwell Banker. They can also color, eat cookies and sip some hot chocolate.