Holiday Hoopla lights up downtown

Lindsey Davis/Staff Writer

Downtown Cedar Falls is a wonderful place to be. It has many unique, cool shops to browse through, great restaurants to indulge at, a historic theater and as of Dec. 15, a new ice skating rink.

Cedar Falls Main Street offers so much, and during the holiday season, Community Main Street hosts Holiday Hoopla. This nearly month-long event kicked off the Friday after Thanksgiving and continues through December with weekly activities.

The kick-off day this year was on Nov. 25. People from around the metro area flocked to Main Street. Here, they were delighted with Christmas music from various area singers. The anticipation of Santa’s arrival could be felt in the air. All eyes were turned to the sky at the end of the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” the hint that Santa was on his way. Finally, cheering broke out when a green and red lit helicopter was spotted. A Santa parade to the tree followed, which was soon lit, and the event ended with fireworks on the river.

Mallory Rinnels, a junior, worked the first night of Holiday Hoopla. Her mother owns a bridal store on Main Street, so she was asked to dress up as Cinderella for the night.

“My favorite part was seeing the little girls faces when I was talking to them because they really think you are the real Cinderella. They were just so starstruck,” Rinnels said.

On Thursday nights, patrons can take a trip back into the old days with a trolley ride through the streets. Kids get the chance to send off their letters to Santa at the Santa Mailbox, located at Santa’s workshop. They’ll even get a response. On Friday, Dec. 17, Main Street visitors can catch an old Christmas flick for free at Oster Regent Theater.

Downtown Cedar Falls is truly one of a kind. Holiday Hoopla can put even the most pessimistic Scrooge into the Christmas spirit.