Orleans Gets In The Holiday Spirit Saturday - Santa Visits; Small Businesses Bring Out Their Finest

ORLEANS – Forget Black Friday; Saturday’s the day to get in the holiday spirit in Orleans.

Santa Claus is coming to town, with Christmas festivities for both the naughty and the nice. And if that’s not enough of a draw, it’s Small Business Saturday, with local retailers, restaurants and services pulling out all the stops for holiday shoppers.

“All of it fits nicely in one package in one day,” said Orleans Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Judy Lindahl. “We have an Orleans tradition of Santa Claus coming in on a boat, so we incorporated that.” Weather permitting, the Jolly Elf will arrive at the Orleans Yacht Club on Cove Road Saturday at 9 a.m., where Mrs. Claus is hosting a special breakfast for kids and their families from 8:30 to 10 a.m. (Breakfast is available at $10 for children, $15 for adults.)

A full slate of events is happening at Snow’s, where Santa will visit with kids from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the Dickens Singers perform from noon to 2 p.m. There will be performances by the Pitter Patter Puppets, and food trucks from Andale and Mom and Pop’s will be present along with Cape Cod Macarons. Starting at 3 p.m., go across the street to Mid-Cape Home Centers for festive horse and carriage rides.

Don’t miss the annual holiday stroll down Main Street from Snow Library to Depot Square, sponsored by the Orleans Improvement Association. Gather at the library at 4:30 p.m. for singing and performances by Nauset High School students, then join Santa and Mrs. Claus for a stroll to the tree lighting in the park across from the Hot Chocolate Sparrow. Orleans’ new Town Manager, Kim Newman, will throw the switch lighting the town tree.

Events are scheduled at businesses throughout town all day long Saturday; a full schedule of happenings is at www.OrleansCapeCod.org.

“We’re trying to make it a little more festive this year, with a little bit more attention on the community and local businesses,” Lindahl said. Focusing on locally-owned shops, eateries and services provides an important boost to the holiday shopping season, and can yield the most special gifts and experiences.

“A lot of the money that you spend in a local store stays in your local community,” she said. The people in those businesses work and live in the community, “so we should be supporting them.”

The Artists’ Cottages will be open with unique paintings, crafts and objets d’art, and there will be a mashed potato bar by the Barley Neck Inn and chili from the Lost Dog, with hot toddies and hot spiced rum available for purchase.

There will be Christmas Carols at Agway at 1 p.m., and an open house at the Nauset Model Railroad Club from 1 to 4 p.m. at their location behind the Hilltop Plaza, 180 Route 6A. Watch for pop-up stores and activities at the visitor center at 44 Main St. and around downtown.