The Hillsdale Business Association invites everyone to participate in a Christmas celebration downtown this Saturday. The events include the sixth annual scavenger hunt, second annual Light up Hillsdale Parade, and an AfterGlow.
“It gets bigger and better every year,” said Margie Elchert, owner of Tree of Health Natural Wellness Center. “We’ve been advertising the heck out of this day so we’re hoping to double the amount of people out here this year.”
The scavenger hunt will kick off the day at 10 a.m., beginning at GoldStar Tax Service on North Howell Street.
Cathy Newell, owner of The Blossom Shop, said that approximately 80 to 90 people showed up to the first scavenger hunt five years ago, and that the number has increased every year. This year, they are expecting around 300.
In the hunt, each person uses a map of the participating businesses to find miniature golden sleighs in each of the 30 to 35 stores. Once found, the store employees will mark off their shop on the participant’s map.
Completed maps may be entered into drawings for prizes at 4 p.m. at GoldStar. Each store participating in the hunt will donate a substantial prize for the drawings. In the past, prizes included $40 to $50 gift certificates, as well as jewelry and gift baskets.
The main point of the scavenger hunt is to get people into the downtown stores.
“The first year we did this, we kept hearing, ‘Oh we didn’t know you guys had this!’ and ‘We’ve never seen this store before!’” Newell said. “So this is definitely a good way to show what we’ve got for the coming holiday season.”
The Light up Hillsdale Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will start and end in the Midtown parking lot.
The grand marshal in charge of leading the parade is J.J. Hodshire. A 1999 Hillsdale College graduate, Hodshire served as the Undersheriff of Hillsdale for 12 years, and is now the director of organizational development for the Hillsdale Community Health Center.
As the grand marshal, Hodshire said that he will “say a few words before the parade starts—thanking the folks in the parade, as well as those who came out to watch.”
Although this is the first time he will take on the role as grand marshal, the parade scene isn’t new to Hodshire. He has run several political campaigns that involved him passing out stickers and candy during parades.
“Being the grand marshal is a great privilege,” Hodshire said. “Our downtown businesses strive very hard to provide services and goods to our community, so folks should enjoy the parade and take the chance to shop local afterwards. Last year, this night was such a treat and it will be this time around too. People will not be disappointed.”
Elchert said they were expecting about 12 floats in last year’s inaugural parade, but they were surprised with a showing of 32. This year they are unsure of the amount of entries, but are anticipating an even larger lineup than the previous year. A permanent feature of the parade is a Santa Claus riding in the basket of a Hillsdale fire truck.
The HBA said that anyone can participate in the parade as long as they show up at the Midtown parking lot at 6 p.m.
Directly following the parade is the AfterGlow, where all the floats will stay lit up in the parking lot to give people a closer view of the elaborately decorated floats.
