If you’ve never experienced the magic of Downtown Holland during the holiday season, this is
the one night you won’t want to miss! This Saturday, November 23, over 50 shops and restaurants will open
their doors from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm for the popular Downtown Holland Holiday Open House. During the
Holiday Open House, residents and visitors alike are invited to stroll the beautifully decorated and brightly lit
heated streets while shopping for holiday gifts for everyone on your list! Shops and restaurants will be
welcoming customers with a number of holiday promotions, including free gift wrapping, complimentary
holiday refreshments, merchandise discounts, and fun giveaways during this annual event! The event also
features appearances by Santa and his favorite elf, a reindeer petting corral, strolling carolers, and chestnut
roasting over an open fire. The Holiday Open House is proudly sponsored by Greenridge Realty Holland.
The heated streets of Downtown Holland will be decorated for the Holiday Open House with thousands of twinkling holiday lights, a brightly lit Christmas tree, and custom designed urn planters installed by the City’s Parks Department. The Holland Chorale’s costume Dickens Carolers will be strolling throughout Downtown Holland singing Christmas carols during the event, in addition to carolers from Central Wesleyan Church and Ventura Baptist Church. Staff and volunteers from Downtown Holland will also be roasting fresh chestnuts outside of GDK Park on 8th Street. Everyone is invited to stop by for a free sample of a traditional taste of the holidays!
Santa can also be spotted strolling during the Holiday Open House, greetings fans young and old alike and posing for photographs along the way. And be sure to keep an eye up (yes, up) for one of Santa’s stilt walking elves! Santa’s reindeer will here too, located in a petting corral at the corner of 8th Street and College Avenue adjacent to Foxtail Coffee. The Snowflake Express Trolley is also returning this year, offering attendees a free tour of 8th Street during the Holiday Open House! Just hop on and off at the Splash Pad next to the Courtyard Marriott Hotel. The team from Greenridge Realty will also be downtown during the Holiday Open House spreading holiday cheer by passing out fun giveaways to attendees while supplies last.
Apothecary Gift Shop Blu Veranda
Holiday Open House Participating Businesses
Holland Museum
HOM By Benchmark
Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant Borr's Shoes & Accessories
Bowerman's on 8th
Brick + Ivy Market
Bubs' and Betty's
Canterbury Cottage Interiors
Carolyn Stich Studio
Cherry Republic
Clovier
Cotton Bay
Cranes In The City
Curragh Irish Pub
DesignWorks Interiors
Downtown Antiques & Home Furnishings Dutch Village Downtown
Estella Rose Fashion
Family Central Bookstore
Fatface
Frances Jaye
Fris Supply Shop
Fustini's
Garsnett Beacon Candle Co.
Gazelle Sports
Gezellig Home & Garden
Glik’s Boutique
Glik’s Men’s
Harbor Wear
jb and me
Jean Marie's
Lake Effect Gallery
Laurel & Jack
Le Bon Macaron
Lokers Shoes
Merle Norman Cosmetics New Holland Brewing Sidecar Onalee's
Postcards from Paradise Prettie's Intimate Apparel Reader's World
Silver Fox II Jewelry
Spring Sweet
Studio K Clothing Co.
The Bridge
The City Delicatessen
The Flower House
The Outpost of Holland The Poppy Peach, LLC. The Seasoned Home
TIKAL
Tip Toes
Warner Vineyards of Holland Waverly Stone
White House Black Market
In addition to the Holiday Open House, Downtown Holland will be hosting a number of family friendly special events and shopping promotions throughout the upcoming holiday season! Be sure to mark your calendars for these exciting holiday events all November and December long! Visit the Downtown Holland website at www.downtownholland.com or call 616.796.1210 for details.
Small Business Saturday
Saturday, November 30
All Day Long
Downtown Holland will join communities throughout the country in celebrating Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 30! Our shops and restaurants want to thank you for supporting us all year long and shopping small this holiday season with a day packed full of giveaways, discounts, and lots of fun promotions! Be sure to enter our annual Small Business Saturday Selfie Contest too! Just snap a photograph of yourself shopping in Downtown Holland on Saturday, November 30 and share it on our Facebook page for a chance to win a $100 gift card to your favorite Downtown Holland business. The winner will be announced on Monday, December 2.
Parade of Lights
Tuesday, December 3
6:30 pm
Santa Claus arrives in Downtown Holland during the Parade of Lights, escorted by over 80 floats, commercial vehicles, walkers, and marching bands...all decked out from top to bottom in thousands of sparkling lights! Come see why this brightly lit holiday procession on Tuesday, December 3 is a holiday tradition for the entire community! The Parade of Lights will begin at the corner of 8th Street and Columbia
Avenue at 6:30 pm sharp and proceed west down 8th Street until it reaches the Holland Civic Center Place at 150 West 8th Street, home of the Holiday Kerstmarkt! The Parade of Lights is proudly sponsored by Gentex Corporation. Be sure to look for them as they lead the parade with a special treat for all of the children in attendance! (Please note that there will be no other candy out during the parade.)
Strolling Santa
Saturdays, December 7, 14 & 21
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Heading to Downtown Holland to do a little holiday shopping this season? Word from the North Pole is that you might just spy Santa doing a little local shopping of his own! Santa Claus will be strolling Downtown Holland every Saturday afternoon in December visiting his favorite shops and restaurants, greeting his fans of all ages, posing for photographs, and bringing a little magic to your holiday shopping experience. Be sure to say hello if you spot him out and about!
Shopping Jam
Saturday, December 14
8:00 am – 11:00 am
The early bird gets the...deals at the annual Downtown Holland Shopping Jam! Set your alarm clocks and grab a cup of hot coffee because this is one holiday savings event you won't want to miss! As part of the Shopping Jam on Saturday, December 14, participating businesses will open their doors early for this one a year savings event, offering savings of 30% off at least one item from 8:00 am - 9:00 am, 25% from 9:00 am - 10:00 am, and 20% off from 10:00 am -11:00 am. Whether you need one more gift to finish off your nice list or you're shopping for something special for yourself, this is one sale you won't want to miss. It’s the perfect opportunity to “wrap up” your holiday shopping while enjoying amazing discounts!
Wednesdays and Saturdays
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Visit the Holland Farmers Market all November and December long to shop for fresh produce, meat, eggs, honey, maple syrup, jam, baked goods, specialty foods and more! And decorate your home with fresh greenery, porch pots, festive wreaths from our local vendors. Make the Market your destination for all things Michigan-grown this holiday season! The Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday in November from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and on Saturdays in December through December 21. On select Saturdays, the Market will be joined by the Holland Kerstmarkt, a European style outdoor Market where local artisans offer unique gifts, holiday décor, home baked goods, and more.
