Holiday Activities Awaits Familes in Moore

COMMUNITY BY: CHELSEY KRAFT Merry Christmas

With Christmas right around the corner, residents of Moore have plenty of opportunities to get in the holiday spirit. Breakfast with Santa, Christmas Spectacular and A Norman Rockwell Christmas Parade all provide families a chance to celebrate the season together. Both Breakfast with Santa and Christmas Spectacular are scheduled for Dec. 7 and will be held at 700 S Broadway Ave., with the breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. and the other event slated for 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or in person, and attendees can enjoy a big breakfast catered by Nosh, said Marina Melrose, sales and special events coordinator for the City of Moore. The morning includes holiday crafts, a visit and story time with Santa Claus and a candy cane hunt, inside The Station at Central Park recreation center. “It’s a very fun, interactive family event,” Melrose said. “We decorate the whole facility, so it’s just very holly jolly around here. I love it. It puts everyone in a great mood.” The cost for Breakfast with Santa is $7.50 per person, with children ages 2 and under admitted free. Families can conclude the day at the Christmas Spectacular, which is free to the public and held at the Central Park Amphitheater. Local community groups provide live music, and children can chat with Santa and take photos. The evening ends with a bang during a fireworks show choregraphed to Christmas music at 8:30 p.m. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available for purchase, and people are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets or sit in the amphitheaterduringthe fireworks. The fireworks are sponsored by companies and organizations, both local and from throughout the state. Melrose said this is just one more element of the community coming together. The city could not coordinate the event without the sponsors and participation by schools and other groups. “I have kids myself, and I’m always lookingfor events thatjustembrace the Christmas season,” Melrose said. “Both of these events are great events.” Holiday Activity Awaits Families in Moore

A week later, the Old Town Moore Association will host its A Norman Rockwell Christmas Parade at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14. The parade route begins at Central Jr. High, turns west on Main Street and concludes at Howard Street. Santa rides on one of the floats, but children will be able to take photos with him afterward, according to parade organizer Kelly Johnson. Additionally, some shops in the Old Town area will be open during the event.

Last year, the parade had nearly 30 entries, and the event continues to grow each year, Johnson said. Characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, will also be making an appearance at the parade.

“It’s family time,” Johnson said. “It brings everybody together and gets everybody into the Christmas spirit.”

For more information about Breakfast with Santa or the Christmas Spectacular, call 793-5090 or visit centralpark.cityofmoore.com. To stay up to date about the parade, visit www.facebook. com/OldTownMoore/ or contact Johnson at 799-9898. – 19SM