by Anna Tillman
If you want to get into the holiday spirit, look no further! Downtown Roanoke will be spreading Christmas cheer all throughout December. Downtown Roanoke has a bunch of fun winter festivities to participate in this season. To name a few: Dickens of a Christmas, The Elf on the Shelf Adventure and Elmwood on Ice.
This year is the 39th anniversary of the Dickens of a Christmas event. You can take part in the activities on Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Each day has something new and exciting to offer. Today at 5:30 pm there will be the City of Roanoke Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. After the ceremony is finished there are live performances.
On Dec. 10, there will be a parade all throughout Downtown Roanoke starting at 6:30 pm. Finally, on the night of Dec. 17, there will be a Pet Costume Contest starting at 6:30 pm. Don’t miss the opportunity to see the adorable animals! Dickens of a Christmas is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with friends and family.
Another fun way to spend the holidays is taking part in The Elf on the Shelf Adventure, running from Nov. 26 through Dec. 17. There are 18 elves hiding in Downtown Roanoke stores, and if you find them all you may be able to win $1,000. All you need to do is get a passport from one of the participating stores and start finding the elves. When you spot them, the store owners will stamp your passport. Once you find them all, you need to put the passport in the drop box at the Mast General Store. The winner will be drawn at random and will be notified on Dec. 17 if they have won.
Finally, if you are looking for another activity, check out Elmwood on Ice. Elmwood on Ice is an outdoor ice-skating rink. The ice-skating admission is $6 and skate rentals are $2. It is a fun and cheap way to spend time outdoors with friends and family.
Downtown Roanoke has much to offer this time of year. Dickens of a Christmas, The Elf on the Shelf Adventure and Elmwood on Ice are family friendly favorites that everyone should experience this holiday season.
