We're closing in fast on the holiday season, with Thanksgiving only days away. . . so here's a quick look ahead at some of our favorite holiday season activities and events coming up around Morgan County. The holiday season is a perfectly jolly time of year to visit the area with twinkling lights, great shopping opportunities, local traditions and tasty treats!
Traditional Candy Cane Pours
Every single Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Martinsville Candy Kitchen will delight visitors of all ages with traditional candy can pours. You'll know something special is happening as soon as you open the door and the smell of peppermint floats out in the air. Watch as they use nearly 100-year old tools and recipes to create one of the symbols of the holiday season - by hand. Enjoy the tiny samples as you watch, then savor the resulting beautiful red and white striped candy canes (or save them for Christmas stocking stuffers - your choice)! Call ahead for exact pour times each week, as well as possible additional pour times on other days.
Small Business Saturday Marketplace
Held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this fun event at the Art Sanctuary is the place to find locally crafted gift items from area vendors. Don't miss the chance to browse through several vendors in one places - then hit up a downtown Martinsville restaurant for lunch and browse the shops downtown such as Berries & Ivy, The Sterling Butterfly, De Lyn Jewelry and the IDT Barnwood Furniture Store!
Festival of Lights at Jimmy Nash Park
Once you've got your fill of shopping, gather at Jimmy Nash Park in Martinsville on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for this annual lighting of the park. Don't worry if you can't make it on Nov. 26 - the light displays will remain up and lit each night through the New Year. Be sure to stop and enjoy the decorations the next time you're in the area.
De Lyn Jewelry Christmas Open House
Stop by during this two-day Christmas Open House event at De Lyn Jewelry in downtown Martinsville. You'll find great discounts, gift certificates, a wide variety of jewelry and holiday Treasure Boxes and more. Treasure Boxes are $5 each, or five for $20, and every single box is a winner, containing a fun treasure you can keep for yourself or give to someone on your holiday shopping list.
Indiana Rail Road Santa Train
Each year, the children of Morgantown and the surrounding area await the arrival of this train with bated breath - this is the Santa Train! Thanks to the Indiana Rail Road Company, this has become an annual tradition in the small towns along the train tracks. Participants can climb aboard the train and visit with St. Nick and his friends on his very own express train! The train arrives on the tracks behind the Morgantown Fire Department at approximately 6:30 on Friday, December 3. The line will close at 7:30 pm to ensure that everyone has a chance to visit before the train has to depart for the next station.
Victorian Christmas Celebration
A truly unique Mooresville Tradition, the Victorian Christmas Celebration happens each year on the first Saturday of December. There's a free shuttle that takes visitors to all the different stops, so you won't miss a thing! Enjoy Christmas carolers, Victorian era characters, carriage rides, craft fairs and so much more as you celebrate the season. Santa will be on hand, as will everyone's favorite Christmas villain, Ebeneezer Scrooge!
The Sterling Butterfly's Christmas Open House
Stop by this amazing shop in downtown Martinsville on December 9 and see what local and regional artists have been up to! The store is owned by renowned jewelry artist Pam Hurst and you'll find plenty of her gorgeous creations as well as items from other Morgan County and Indiana artisans as well. Discover artwork on canvas, locally made pottery, metal creations, fiber art and so much more!
Merry MAC Players present Little Women
Each year, the Merry MAC Players present a special family-friendly production around the holidays. This year, they've chosen the timeless story of Little Women, featuring some of your favorite childhood characters. Introduce a new generation of children to the March family, and to theatrical performance in general! You'll have six opportunities to see this favorite coming-of-age story, December 9-11 and 16-18. Shows are at 8 pm on Friday and Saturday and 2:30 pm on Sunday. Tickets are available online.
Martinsville Cookie Stroll
This annual holiday event is packed full of fun for all ages and, of course, cookies! Several varieties of cookies, to be exact. Those who are lucky enough to get cookie passports will receive a cookie at each stop along the Cookie Stroll. Don't worry - if you aren't able to purchase a passport before they sell out (and they always do) you can still enjoy the day's festivities! Live entertainment is featured a a number of stops throughout the day and several retail stores will have holiday sales going on, and don't forget to visit the annual Holiday Market from the Morgan County Farmers Market and the Cookie Stroll Craft Fair. Passport tickets go on sale November 25th at Berries & Ivy Country Store.
Meet Santa!
There are several opportunities to meet the jolly old elf himself, including at some of the events mentioned above as well as special dates at the Martinsville Candy Kitchen and other local activities. See our calendar for more information on meeting Santa in Morgan County - simply use the handy keyword search to find him!
Happy holidays, from Visit Morgan County!
