NEWPORT — The season of friendship and love arrived in Newport City on Saturday afternoon with Hometown Holidays, an old-fashioned celebration.
The fun and merriment included rides in the downtown area on the NEK Polar Express Train, hot chocolate, a reading of The Polar Express at the Goodrich Memorial Library and then at Green Mountain Natural Foods and Café, sales at many downtown merchants to encourage shopping local, a tree lighting ceremony in Pomerleau Park, the Light Up the Night Parade, and more.
Newport City Parks and Recreation and Newport Downtown Development funded all the free events.
Felicia Updyke, associate director for Newport Downtown Development, explained that shopping local supports the community and ensures dollars stay in the Newport City area.
Newport City Mayor Rick Ufford-Chase added that Saturday was a whole afternoon of activity focused on kids and families.
“We want families to connect to downtown Newport, see this as their place to come hang out, and be together,” he explained. “It’s how you bring the downtown back to life. We want people on this wonderful downtown street.”
Amy Gillespie, owner of the Witches Brew, offered a photo scavenger hunt called Merry Clickmas Challenge. She posted a list of clues on Facebook. One of the clues was finding Jingles the Elf, who was in the warm interior of Gillespie’s shop.
Searchers had to take a picture of themselves with the clues scattered about Newport City and post them on the store’s Facebook page. Participants received little treats and 3-D Santa hats made by NEK 3D Creations.
