One of Huntsville Main Street’s many successful programs each year is the “Downtown Christmas Festival,” and this year was no exception, attracting some 2,000 people to the downtown square. Ten of those 2,000 included the LEAP Ambassadors (and a few friends) to help with the festivities.
The LEAP Center students set up shop just across from the beautiful Roche Building…
…and we handled all the ticketed attractions at the Festival, under the direction of Lindsay Lauher (Main Street Manager), Jazmin Perez (Main Street Intern), and Rylee Henson.
The festival offered a moonwalk, numerous vendors for shopping, food, a train for kids, pictures with Santa, and–the star attraction–snow on the downtown square. Of course, as an event for kids, the children found their own way to have fun, including an impromptu “balloon parade.”
Even with the onset of Christmas, children seemed to have a mixed reaction to sitting with Santa Claus. Some seemed to suffer from parental separation anxiety…
…while others fully enjoyed the Christmas spirit.
For Beatriz and Brian, the latter spirit ruled the day…
…and even without the presence of Santa, the LEAP Volunteers had fun…
For the attendees, the train was also a big hit, with families having fun on the two-block trip provided by the engineer.
As previously mentioned, though, it is the snow that attracts the youngsters.
In between busy periods, the students ate at Farmhouse Eats and Sweets–several for the first time–and had fun around their volunteer posts, with Professor Yawn even getting in on the action.
Although the LEAP Center has several more events this semester, this is one of the last three for which all the members will be together, and we enjoyed it.
As the began to set and the day came to a close…
…we took one last picture of the square at sunset, and went home to prepare for finals, thankful for activities such as “Downtown Christmas Festival,” which makes the community a nicer place to live.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 