Kids Have a Ball at Downtown Holiday Party

As Christmas is inching closer and closer, kids' anticipation is rising as to what what the holidays will bring them. Downtown businesses in Valparaiso wanted to aid that anticipation by hosting a Kid's Holiday Party. Pikk's Tavern, rTrail Collective Edge, Martin Binder Jewelry, and Uptown Cafe all participated in hosting the party, and all the kids that attended on the snowy Sunday afternoon were greeted with a host of fun and acitivities to engage them.

"We wanted to do something because there's nothing that really happens downtown apart from the holidays," said Sam Maule, General Manager at Pikk's. "We wanted to do something for the downtown to bring kids down."

The bash started at Pikk's with a small lunch including Pikk's famous mini-burgers along with cupcake decorating for the kids. A few members from the South Shore Orchestra were present as well playing brass versions of popular holiday songs to usher in the holiday spirit. From there the kids and their parents departed over to rTrail where they were greeted with a warm welcome and hot chocolate from Uptown Cafe. Different pieces of a mural were given to each child to paint in whatever fashion that they saw fit, and later the pieces would be reassembled into one piece of art. The piece will then be sold to support free public art for kids in the community.

"This [piece] will be the new public art project for at least 60 days," explained Brenda Magnetti Erickson, Founder of rTrail. "Once this one is finished and sold then we'll start another one."

Once the kids finished up smattering their elbows in paint, everyone wandered over to Binder Jewelry where kids got to sit on Santa's lap, tell him what they wanted for Christmas, and got a picture with the big man. They also were able to enter their name into a drawing to win the "World's Largest Christmas Stocking", which contained an unimaginable assortment of toys and games.

It was a great time for all, and a bright idea for downtown businesses to generate a little more Christmas spirit.

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