News Release

CHARLES CITY – Embrace the magic of the holidays on Friday, November 30th, with a new twist on a Charles City winter tradition.

Community Revitalization’s annual Holiday Lighted Parade will again light up the night in downtown Charles City at 6 p.m. and herald in the arrival of Santa and debut of the Santa House in Central Park from 6:30-8 p.m. However, this year’s offerings have been expanded as part of the new “Holidazzle” celebration, adding carolers, hot cocoa, treats, a Candy Cane Hunt, shopping and special dining options.

A tractor-drawn holiday hayride will be available to shuttle shoppers to retailers all over Charles City until 8 pm. Participating Holidazzle retailers staying open later that night include The Rustic Corner, Schiller Fine Art Gallery and Framing, Mara, Otto’s Oasis, Unique Country Store, A Plus Nails, Darbe & Co., Lidd + Cordray, Saxony, Hy-Vee, Jacie Garden, Independent Scentsy Director, Rachel Adam LuLaRoe, Birdies and Bo’s, and Artwear. While at Otto’s Oasis, be sure to check out the uniquely-decorated Christmas trees by local non-profit agencies as part of the annual Festival of Trees.

Immediately following the parade, the Hy-Vee Candy Cane Hunt will take place in Central Park. It is free and open to kids ages 12 and under.

Warm up before or after the parade with pizza by the slice at Cedar River Pizza Co. from 5-8 p.m. Pay $4 per slice, and 25 percent of the proceeds will be donated back to Community Revitalization efforts. There will also be a soup supper from 5-7 p.m. at the Columbus Club, 502 Clark St., put on as a fundraiser by the local Big Brothers and Big Sisters program.

Community Revitalization is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining a strong downtown Charles City as part of a great place to live, work and play. Affiliated with the Main Street Iowa program, Community Revitalization is organizing the Holiday Lighted Parade and Holidazzle. The Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, organizes the Santa House in Central Park which is made possible by local sponsors. In addition to the evening of Nov. 30th, the Santa House will be open to youngsters to visit with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon on Dec. 1, 8 and 22, as well as from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 15th and from 2-4 p.m. on Dec. 23rd.

For more information, please contact the Community Development Office at (641) 228-2335 or email info@charlescitychamber.com.