By Stephanie Stullich
Lively holiday music, vendors selling Made in Maryland crafts, photos with Santa, and even the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who — all these and more made for a festive scene at the Winter Wonderland event at city hall plaza on Dec. 2. Local favorites Habañero and Bill’s Backyard BBQ food trucks were on hand, and Denizens Brewing Co. provided beer. Children, families, and college students alike enjoyed having their photo taken with Santa. A petting zoo featuring bunnies, chickens, goats and a donkey was another popular attraction for both young and old. City hall offered a story reading room for young children and a display of the winners of the city’s gingerbread house competition. Shop Made In Maryland, the retail incubator that officially opened on Dec. 7, gave visitors a sneak peek of its space and also provided street-side tents filled with the handiwork of more than a dozen local artisans.
Towards the end of the event, Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell and Councilmember Llatetra Brown Esters gleefully flipped a giant red switch to light up a 20-foot tall holiday tree made of white globes.
Old Town resident Kathy Bryant commented that the new city hall, which opened in December 2021, was a wonderful venue for the event. “We couldn’t have had something like this before,” she said. “There wasn’t any place to have it.”
Berwyn resident Emily Friend said her 5-month-old son Miles had a good time. “He was scared of Santa but loved the Grinch,” she said. “It’s cool that there was something fun for every group and every age.”
Photos Courtesy of Stephanie Stullich
