The Durango Business Improvement District is honored to be the holder of a Durango holiday tradition – Singing with Santa. This event is the kickoff to the holidays downtown.
Singing with Santa has been around for about 40 years and has changed and shifted over the years. Today, it has three components to the annual event that always occurs on the day after Thanksgiving, which this year is Nov. 29.
First is a shopping and dining incentive program – BID’s Holly Jolly Gift Card Drawing. On Black Friday, Nov. 29, shop or dine at any retail or food and beverage business downtown or in the North Main District. Save your receipts and submit them to BID by Dec. 1 to be entered in a drawing for $1,000 worth of BID’s new Heart of Durango Dollars gift cards. Four winners will be randomly selected. The more you spend on Black Friday, the more entries you earn. Four people will win a Heart of Durango Dollars gift card in these amounts – $100, $200, $300 and $400. Get rewarded for supporting businesses in the heart of Durango on Black Friday! Details are available at https://tinyurl.com/mpd2e7p4.
Next is a fun game for children and families. Did you know that Santa’s reindeer escaped from the North Pole and are hiding in downtown Durango? It’s true, and on Nov. 29, we need all children and families to help us find them. Visit the Durango Welcome Center at Eighth Street and Main Avenue to pick up a clue card. Solve the clues that lead you to downtown businesses where Santa’s reindeer are hiding. Find them inside the business and get your clue card stamped. Once you have at least six stamps, bring your clue card to the Singing with Santa event. The first 50 completed clue cards win a souvenir Singing with Santa hot chocolate mug. More information is at https://tinyurl.com/2s43v3tb.
Last, but certainly not least, is the Singing with Santa event. Singing with Santa is sponsored by TBK Bank, Durango Motor Co. and the city of Durango. It is completely free to attend! On Nov. 29, arrive at Buckley Park at 5:30 p.m. for Christmas caroling with the Durango Chorale Society. Get some free hot chocolate from Carver Brewing Co. and free cookies from DoubleTree Hotel, Manna, Zia Taqueria and Highway 3 Roadhouse. Hot chocolate and cookies are available while they last.
At 6 p.m. sharp, Santa will arrive! We will then sing a few more carols, then conduct a countdown to the lighting of the community Christmas tree. Thanks to Eagle Crane, the tree will have more than 1,000 lights in it that will stay on through the holiday season.
After the tree lighting, children can give Santa their wish list for Christmas and take a couple of photos. Families should bring their own camera.
Find out more about the three components for Singing with Santa at SingingWithSanta.org. We can’t wait to kick off the holidays with you on Nov. 29!
Tim Walsworth is executive director of Durango Business Improvement District. Reach him at timw@downtowndurango.org or 375-5068.
