The Vista Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Vista Village Business Association is coordinating WinterFest, a festival focusing on holiday arts and fun from Dec 2 through Christmas. Several organizations are sponsoring events, including the annual Christmas parade, downtown street lighting and caroling, a home tour, an art gallery reception, a bridge-lighting ceremony, a snow play area, free pictures with Santa and more. The Chamber is organizing two of the events, and other groups are organizing their own events. Here is the schedule:
Dec. 2 (Wednesday) – Holiday Sundowner business mixer sponsored by the Vista Chamber of Commerce at Vista Entertainment Center, 435 W Vista Way, 5 to 7 p.m. 726-1122. Members admission is $5. Prospective members $10. This popular business mixer features a bridge lighting ceremony (6:30pm), raffle prizes and a non-perishable food drive for North County Solutions for Change.
December 4 (Friday) Downtown Vista invites you to the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony along Main Street from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday December 4th. Main Street trees from South Santa Fe Avenue to Vista Village Drive will be filled with lights at the ceremony. A decorated Christmas tree will be lit up at the Main Street Gazebo as a centerpiece for the downtown decorations. Mr. and Mrs. Santa will pose for free photographs with children and there will be activities for the kids that tie into this year’s theme: “A Journey Through Time, Past, Present and Future ”. We will have dancers from Tanya’s Dance and The band from Vista Academy of Performing Arts at the gazebo as well as music performances in front of First Cut Demos located at 217 E. Broadway. Area merchants will be offering seasonal favorites through out the evening, and don’t forget to play “Vista Village Business Bingo” for the chance to win CASH prizes!
DEC. 5 (Saturday) - Vista Christams Parade and Village Fest - The Vista Chamber of Commerce is producing Vista's annual Christmas Parade, scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. The parade theme is "A Journey Through Time: Past, Present and Future."
The Vista Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that ou Grand Marshall will be Col. Rick Searfoss, Astronaut and Space Shuttle Commander. Come meet a true American hero!
The parade route will be the same as recent years, starting on S. Santa Fe Avenue at the corner of Pala Vista Drive, proceeding north on Santa Fe Avenue to Main Street, turning right to Citrus Avenue, right on Citrus and ending at Broadway.
The parade is organized by the Chamber with major funding from the City of
Vista.
The parade will include marching bands, an aerial fly-over, Santa and Mrs. Claus. Nearly 10,000 spectators areexpected. More info and entry forms.
We have also added a Village Fest this year with 4 Village Lot that will be chock full of fun. There will be international food, artisans, businesses, craters, and a "kid's land". Village Fest runs from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
DEC. 5 (Saturday) - Winter Wonderland - Pictures with Santa Claus - Immediately after the parade, from approximately 1:00 to 5 p.m., sponsored by Krikorian Theatres which will also have a play area with five tons of snow in front of the theaters at 25 Main Street.
December 6 (Saturday) North County Transit District (NCTD) will again run a very special holiday-themed train called “Santa’s COASTER Express” featuring an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. NCTD is offerings rides on this very special train for $4 per passenger, with all proceeds to be donated to North County’s Community Resource Center. Special round-trip tickets must be purchased in advance from NCTD’s Customer Service office at 810 Mission Avenue in Oceanside. Tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 12. Santa’s COASTER Express is scheduled to run two trips, each lasting for approximately one and a half hours. The train departure times are scheduled for approximately 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. All money raised from the $4 fare per person will go to support Community Resource Center, which has been a primary provider of comprehensive social services to the North County Coastal communities since 1979. For more information about Community Resource Center, visit www.communityresourcecenter.org. To download a flyer about Santa’s COASTER Express and a list of frequently asked questions, visit www.GoNCTD.com. For more information, call 760-966-6500.
December 6 (Sunday) Vista Community Clinic’s 23rd Annual Holiday Homes Tour will take tour goers around the world. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. view art and architecture from Europe, Africa, Asia and throughout the Americas. The tour will feature homes exquisitely decorated for the holidays by professional designers who volunteer their services. This tour raises money for the clinic’s Kare for Kids Fund. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and may be purchased online at www.vistacommunityclinic.org.
December 12 (Saturday) - Home is Where the Art Is - the 204 Gallery hosts its annual holiday Reception at the Vista Art Foundation, 204 Main Street, Vista. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
