Manchester Chamber Hosting Annual Window Walk

The Manchester Chamber is hosting their annual Window Walk tonight.

It’s the 37th year for the holiday event – in which downtown Manchester magically turns into a winter wonderland of Christmas festivities.

And this year, the Window Walk will kick off at 5:15 pm with the dedication and lighting of the community’s new gathering tree at Riverfront Park. The tree debuted during last year’s Window Walk – a gift to the community from Manchester Vitality Endowment – and this year, residents are being encouraged to decorate the small evergreen with snowflake ornaments. Committee member Diane Hammell says it will be a great way to start the night.

Darrell, Jacque and Connie will lead the community in singing festive Christmas carols after the tree dedication – and then everyone is invited to explore what this year’s Manchester Window Walk has to offer along Main and Franklin Streets. This year’s theme is “Christmas Carols”, with some of the downtown businesses featuring live window scenes. Santa will continue his tradition of visiting with children at F&M Bank. His Handiworks Puppets will once again put on a puppet show in the window of Franklin Street Brewery. And Chamber Director Laura Holtz says there will be a live nativity making its way up and down Manchester’s streets.

The Static Christmas Parade is also back this year – it’s a stationary parade (it doesn’t move), so the parade entries are all parked up and down the street while you walk around them. This year’s parade will feature over a dozen entries from XL Specialized Trailers, Berry Global, Henderson Products, Manchester Rotary, Christ Community Church, Good Neighbor Society, Care Initiatives, Hartwick Huskys, Delaware County Fair, Regional Medical Center, Manchester Police Department, Manchester Fire Department and KMCH. And be sure to bring along some spare change to vote for your favorite parade entry, as the money goes to a good cause.

The City of Manchester will also be hosting their first annual Chili Cookoff tonight – it’s open to all Manchester residents, with entries accepted in labeled crockpots from 4 until 5:15 pm. And Mayor Connie Behnken says everyone is invited to stop into the Council Chambers during the Window Walk to taste test and vote for their favorite.

Along with trying the different kinds of chili, there will be plenty of other snacks tonight. Downtown Manchester businesses will be offering a variety of treats, including cookies, fudge, candy canes, oreo balls and beef sticks – even reindeer food. And Castle Theatre will once again hand out free popcorn. And Holtz reminds everyone to support the businesses by doing some shopping during the Window Walk too.

Tonight’s Manchester Window Walk and Static Christmas Parade runs from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in downtown Manchester. You can find a map of all the participants on the Manchester Chamber’s Facebook page or below!

archived photo courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH