The Historic Catlin Court Shopping & Dining District is hosting a new holiday event series in December. The inaugural Christmas in Catlin Court will be held Friday and Saturday nights, December 3-18 from 6 to 8 p.m.
When area businesses learned that the city of Glendale would not be lighting the Catlin Court Historic District with holiday lights, the locally owned businesses joined together to light the trees and historic buildings to continue the 25-year tradition. The initiative was led by Coit and Valerie Burner, owners of Bears & More.
The several block area will feature thousands of twinkling holiday lights. Coit Burner installed the lights on more than 130 mature shade trees. Burner did the work on evenings and weekends over a four-week period. The city of Glendale in partnership with Councilmember Jamie Aldama provided the use of the right-of-way electrical to power the tree lights.
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Visitors to Catlin Court will walk along the tree-lined streets and enjoy dozens of beautiful historic buildings which are home to locally owned shops and restaurants. “Event attendees will enjoy a hometown holiday experience throughout the century-old National Register District,” said Valerie Burner, owner of Bears & More.
Themed weekend activities include a life-sized Gingerbread House, make and take arts and crafts, carolers and choirs, The Spicery’s Traditional Christmas Dinners (reservations required), and artisan demonstrations. In addition, holiday characters from the beloved Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer will roam the area. (Some activities are scheduled for select evenings.)
Santa Claus will also make his annual visit to the historic area. Visit with Santa Claus at the North Pole Village located at Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures (5836 W. Palmaire Ave.) Bring your own camera or you can purchase a printed photo for $5.
Event attendees can also view the annual Patriotic Community Tree which honors the Military. The tree is adorned with ornaments featuring names of hometown heroes. Additional ornaments can be added to the tree. Ornaments are available at Bears & More located at 7146 N. 58th Drive.
Christmas in Catlin Court is also the perfect opportunity to check off your holiday gift list at the unique boutiques and specialty shops. Many of the shops feature items by local makers and artisans. Your holiday dining appetite and sweet tooth will be filled at the area’s award-winning iconic eateries.
Start your Christmas in Catlin Court journey at the Arizona Information Center located at 5836 W. Palmaire Ave. to pick up the walking map. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.CatlinCourt.com or follow @CatlinCourtHistoricDistrict.
