Christmas in Merrickville returns for 30th year on Saturday
A small village southwest of Ottawa will transform into a Christmas wonderland on Saturday, a tradition decades in the making, attracting visitors from far and wide.
Volunteers on Thursday were busy at work preparing a Christmas scene along St. Lawrence Street in Merrickville, Ont.
"It started out as a very small community event and it has now grown into one of the largest Christmas events in the Ottawa Valley," said Carlos Card, owner of Chaiya Decor.
Thirty years ago, shop owners started this tradition by thanking local residents one Saturday evening.
Christmas in Merrickville has now grown into a full day event, closing off the main street, and attracting visitors from Quebec and Ontario.
"For two years, like everyone else, we haven't been able to have the event so this year we're going really big. We're actually expanding the size of the event, we're closing the street one block further, we're going to have a makers market on the street," Card said.
"We put out burn barrels and there's hot dogs and marshmallows for the kids, there's some characters going around the village you can have your photographs taken with," he added. "We have Elsa from Frozen coming to do a meet and greet with the kids, we have Santa Claus here. There's enough to do here to keep you busy all day long."
The Christmas in Merrickville sign ahead of Saturday's celebration. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
Village businesses say they are ready for the thousands of shoppers about to descend on the village.
"It's huge, it's the busiest day of the year and it's a good family day, lots of people come out every year," said Heather Dalliare of The Merry Christmas Shop.
She says they have something for everyone, with one shopper looking for a specific item just this week.
"A skunk ornament! We didn't have it, we had every animal but the skunk!" Dallaire said. "We had it, but we didn't have it when they wanted it!"
Merrickville-Wolford Mayor Mike Cameron says the event is a way to showcase the village's unique charm.
"If you're looking for the spirit of Christmas I think we have it here," Cameron said. "We're inviting not only our community but our surrounding communities and we love the support that we get from other communities."
"If you really want to experience a country Christmas, Merrickville-Wolford, the village is where you need to be," he added.
"One of the things that always amazes me about this event is that it is such a great example of community involvement," added Card. "The local businesses, the local residents, the mayor and the council gets involved, we have tons and tons of local sponsors, it really is sort of the quintessential community event."
Santa Claus helps set up for Saturday's Christmas in Merrickville celebration. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
Even Santa himself was in town early, helping to put the final touches on the Christmas display, excited to meet all the children on Saturday and finalize those Christmas lists.
"We're nearing the end! We have to make sure the lists are all up to date, the naughty and nice list, but so far the naughty list is pretty short," he told CTV News.
Christmas in Merrickville begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday and the parade starts at 11 a.m. The entire event runs until 7 p.m. and it's free to attend.
"We can't even tell you how excited we are, we are chomping at the bit to get this thing off the ground, we've been planning for months and months and months," Card said.
"The earlier you get here the better for the parking spots," he smiled. "Come early, dress warm, and be prepared to stay here for the whole day."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.