On December 11, 2021, Rediscover Martinsville invites you to join them in downtown Martinsville for one of our very favorite events of the year - the Martinsville Cookie Stroll! So, what's the Cookie Stroll all about and how does it work? Well, it's a day of fun for cookie lovers for sure, but also for those who simply like to explore and enjoy a beautiful downtown filled with seasonal holiday decorations and entertainment. This annual event features dozens of home-baked cookies made by volunteer bakers. Participants who have purchased tickets will exchange each ticket for an official Cookie Passport on the day of the event. This year's event headquarters will be the Art Sanctuary of Indiana, on the corner of Sycamore and Pike Streets. That passport allows participants to collect a cookie at each official stop along the stroll. There's also a wide variety of entertainment at various locations throughout the day including live music, carolers, Santa, candy cane pours and even llamas!

Passport ticket sales will take place online this year, via Eventbrite. Show up at the Art Sanctuary on December 11, beginning at 10 pm to exchange your ticket for the official passport and map. Then, collect your cookies from 10 am to 5 pm. Passports are $20 each in advance or $25 the day of the event, if any are still available. Be sure to plan to enjoy downtown dining at a local eatery as part of your day! Shopping along the way is encouraged, but this is also a great opportunity to get your family into locally owned shops and boutiques, then make note of what they each notice or admire, then swing back by on a later shopping trip to surprise them with their choices! 

We encourage everyone to pick up a Cookie Passport ticket early - the event is almost always a complete sell-out - but here's why you might consider spending at least part of your Saturday in Martinsville, even if you DON'T have a Cookie Passport. . . 

• The Morgan County Farmers Market Association's annual Holiday Market will be held at the Art Sanctuary during the Cookie Stroll. Here's where you'll find lots of locally crafted items to fill out your holiday shopping list. All items at the market are handcrafted and made by (or grown by) local or regional vendors. 
• Many of the Art Sanctuary's resident artists will also be on hand in their studios offering fine art for sale, which always makes a wonderful gift!
• Enjoy live holiday entertainment throughout the day at various locations. Be sure to stop in at the Main Street Stage at Tom Fiddlery, a fun downtown intimate performance venue, where Tom himself is often providing holiday tunes on his fiddle for cookie strollers to enjoy. 
• Stop in at local shops around the downtown area. Some will have refreshments available (even for non-passport holders) as well as great holiday deals. The Sterling Butterfly features jewelry artist Pam Hurst's unique designs, including Indiana-themed pieces. De Lyn Jewelry features a variety of jewelry and ladies' accessories. Berries and Ivy Country Store features fun home decor, jewelry, textiles and hand-painted gourds and don't miss Reinvention with beautifully reimagined furniture and home decor items. Several other shops will be open as well! Don't miss Her Boutique on Washington Street, The Painted Cottage on Morgan Street, and more. 
• Live entertainment, including Christmas carolers, can also be found throughout the day at many of the shops and other locations around town that are serving as cookie stops, as well outdoors along the route - all entertainment is free and open to all. Be sure to catch the talented local dancers from Studio J2 Dance - they'll be doing live window displays at the studio on North Main Street throughout the day and performing The Nutcracker at the Art Sanctuary. 
• Pictures with Santa! You will find the jolly old elf at the Morgan County Farmers Market Holiday Market (watch for specific times) - no professional photographer is on hand, but you are welcome to snap photos during your child's visit with Santa. The Holiday Market takes place inside the Art Sanctuary on Sycamore Street.
• Letters to Santa! You'll find a magical mailbox at the Morgan County History Center & Museum, one of this year's cookie stops. You can explore the area's history through fun exhibits, then post your letter to Santa before you leave so he'll be sure to get it before Christmas! 
• Food! Many of the downtown area's restaurants are also cookie stops, so they will be busy throughout the day and many will host live entertainment as well! Be sure to check out the newest addition to downtown Martinsville, Paula June's Tea Room & Cakery! 
• Those with kids will want to visit Fables & Fairy Tales on Main Street. This adorable book shop will have gift ideas for kids of all ages. 
• Llamas! Yes - llamas. Pet them, take a llama selfie, simply enjoy these friendly, docile animals. The local 4-H llama club will be on hand with several llamas (and alpacas, too!) for you to meet. 
• Candy Canes! It will be Saturday, so you know the Martinsville Candy Kitchen will be cooking up a batch of holiday candy canes (maybe even two or three!). The magical transformation of boiling liquid into sweet, solid peppermint-flavored holiday cheer is one of Martinsville's favorite Christmas miracles. 
• A very large model train display will be open for viewing at Key Bank on Main Street. This cool model train is a 25 year tradition that's packed with fun local references and is open for viewing during the bank's normal hours until December 31, but on Cookie Stroll day, it's often accompanied by live music as well! The train display is courtesy of the Morgan County Model Railroad Association. 
• Keep an eye open for Peppermint the Penguin, who will be wandering about downtown and making appearances at various cookie stops throughout the day. Peppermint is very friendly and loves sharing his favorite candy (peppermints, of course) with all his new friends. He loves to take selfies, too, so be sure to get your photo taken with him! 
• If you have friends with Cookie Passports, you can spend the day with them. . . and, in my experience, they will almost always share at least a couple of cookies! (If your friends are stingy, there will be free cookies for all at Cookie Stroll Headquarters. Also note, in the event that there are unclaimed passports on the day of the event, they will be resold beginning at 11 am, so you might be able to snag one last-minute on the day of Cookie Stroll. 

For added fun on the day of the Cookie Stroll, here are a few other fun family experiences you won't want to miss after you're finished collecting cookies!

Morgan County Parks and Recreation invites you to enjoy Santa in the Park on December 11 from 2 to 5 pm at Old Town Waverly Park, north of Martinsville. They'll have visits with Santa at the historic bank building as well as lots of other activities including Christmas carols and traditional arts demonstrations, such as blacksmithing and more! 

Maple Grove Market will host their Christmas on the Farm event on Dec. 11 from 3 to 6 pm on Maple Grove Road, just northeast of Martinsville. Admission is free and there will be visits with Santa (and the Grinch!), a farm-tastic light display, Santa's Magic Mailbox, holiday shopping opportunities and a hot chocolate station to help keep you warm! 

Cedar Creek Winery, Brew Co. and Distillery will host a free live performance from Wild Dogs on December 11 from 4 to 7 pm. This is a free performance and all ages are welcome. 

Once the sun sets, you'll want to drive through the Festival of Lights at Jimmy Nash Park. The park is open until 10 pm (don't worry, the gate will automatically open if you're in the park prior to 10 pm) and the light display features a variety of fun characters and creative scenes. Come before dark for fun photo ops! 

If your drive home takes you through Mooresville, check out the 2021 Mooresville Christmas Light Tour! Maps will be available online, beginning December 3.