The event is absolutely free, there are no entrance fees. The kids will enjoy a free train ride, pony rides, carousel and a petting zoo filled with lambs and llamas. There are also free pics that you can take of your child on Santa’s lap. They use the same guy each year and he’s the most authentic looking Santa I’ve ever seen. However, he’s very grumpy lol. They have a lot of vendors who sell everything from jewelry, clothing, and crafts. This year they didn’t have as many food vendors as in the past, but they were delicious all the same. We purchased some deep fried oreos and they were a big hit with the kids. You can also purchase hot cocoa, but be warned… they are nothing more than a packet of the Swiss instant cocoa. However, the proceeds are apparently going to a charity, so I guess that makes it tolerable. They also have a gingerbread house contest, but there weren’t many entries, which was a little disappointing. There were maybe a total of ten houses that you can vote on. The voting isn’t really regulated so you could potentially vote in the same house 50 times because you’re just writing your selections on a piece of paper and placing them in a locked box. There is no one there to monitor how many times you’ve voted. The main attraction is the Christmas light parade. Everyone lines up on the sidewalks of Water street with their fold out chairs and watch as the many floats go by.
