Main Street Has Big Plans For Holidays

Merchants on Main Street have stepped up their game for this year's holiday season, moving the weekly strolls to Sunday afternoons, adding a trolley for easy transportation up and down the street, and providing music and special events for each stroll.

"We're really giving it a big effort this year," said Staci Cormier of Staci's Fine Intimate's. 

The biggest change is the move from Thursday nights to Sunday afternoons. "The evenings were cold and dark," said Cormier, "and a lot of people have holiday events at night. We decided to move them to Sundays, making them more of a family event."

The trolley will add a festive air to the street but also it will offer a practical way for people to get from one end of Main Street to the other. 

On the days of trolley service – Saturday, Nov. 30 and Sunday afternoons in December – the trolley will run continuously from noon to 4 p.m. Stops along the way heading north will be 500 Main Street, in front of Alex and Ani, and the Varnum Armory. Heading south it will stop at the Odeum at 59 Main Street, in front of La Masseria and the CVS parking lot. All stops will be at crosswalks and be marked. 

While there's no fee to ride the trolley, canned good donations for the EG Food Pantry are encouraged. Staci's, Back to Basics and Scribed are also collection spots for unwrapped toy donations.

On Saturday, Nov. 30 – what's become known as Small Business Saturday – the Main Street Association is holding its third annual Turkey Trot in the morning. (You can find out more and register here.) Then, it's shopping time, with the trolley making its debut, from noon to 4.

The holiday strolls take place Dec. 1, 8, 15, and 22 (you'll find details about musicians and fun events below). The town's annual tree lighting ceremony and the arrival of Santa takes place Thursday, Dec. 5, at Town Hall. 

"We're really trying to make EG a place to come to for the holidays," said Cormier.

Elf on the Shelf Stroll – Sunday, Dec. 1, noon to 4

The theme for this first stroll is "Elf on the Shelf." Maps noting participating merchants will be distributed on the trolley and shops. Those participating stores will have an elf somewhere inside and children who find the elf will be entered into a drawing (each store will have its own) for their own copy of the elf and the book.

Strolling singers include Richard Johnson and members of the North Kingstown Community Chorus and the Ocean State Songbirds.

Tree lighting – Thursday, Dec. 5, 5 p.m.

The annual tree lighting in front of Town Hall and the arrival of Santa will have music provided by St. Luke's St. Cecilia children's choir and bell ringers. In addition, Main Street will have a luminaria. 

Santa & Other Surprises Stroll – Dec. 8, noon to 4 p.m.

We can't talk too much about the surprises except to say they will be fun. There will also be a Santa lookalike contest at Town Hall. And, one of the singing groups will include EG's own favorite cobbler, Steve Villari, who will be singing with Judy Hall. Other singers include Trudy and Ismael Sanchez, and Richard Johnson and a few NK Community Choristers.

Cookie Stroll – Dec. 15, noon to 4 p.m.

The cookie stroll is different this year. Instead of offering cookies to eat while you shop, participating stores will have individually wrapped cookies to give patrons. The idea is, by the end of your shopping time, you could have a dozen holiday cookies to take home. 

Santa will be at the Odeum on Dec. 15 and 22. You can have a professional photo with Santa emailed to you for $5. For this stroll, Harmony Heritage Chorus (in Dickens garb), the Old English Carolers, and Richard Johnson and a few NK Community Choristers will be singing on the street.

Family Hat Parade Stroll – Dec. 22, noon to 4 p.m.

The idea for this parade is for people to decorate hats, heads, even their dogs, with crazy holiday attire. The parade will start at 1 p.m. at 500 Main Street (i.e Back to Basics) and proceed down to Town Hall. Richard Johnson and his NK Community Choristers, the St. Matthew's choir and the Ocean State Songbirds will be singing on the street, and Santa will be at the Odeum, posing for pictures.

Sponsors for the trolley service (and the holiday strolls) include New England Tech, Bank Newport, Alex and Ani, Cox Communications, Coastway Community Bank, R.I. Blood Center, Warwick AutoMall and The Savory Grape.