Downtown Van Buren hosts Holiday open house

 

story and photos by Brittany Ransom
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The holiday season officially got underway in Van Buren on Saturday (Nov. 12) as stores welcomed customers to the Main Street Christmas Open House.

Sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association, the event drew visitors out to historic Main Street for a weekend of holiday shopping.

Downtown merchants decorated their doors and buildings with Christmas lights, wreaths and other décor. Inside, many brought out their new holiday merchandise. Several boutiques had sales on festive apparel for adults and children alike.

Storefronts featured Christmas trees and other holiday scenes. Main Street Interiors, one of downtown’s newest merchants, showcased some of the most recent trends in holiday décor with uniquely decorated trees and wreaths. Alongside traditional red and green pieces, the shop displayed trees with accents of teal, silver, copper and even a window display with a black and white motif.

Many shops offered hot cider, coffee and refreshments to shoppers as they browsed. Santa Claus also took to the streets greeting shoppers with treats. Several restaurants participated in the open house by offering specials and traditional holiday dishes.
A horse-drawn carriage rode up and down Main Street, giving visitors a chance to take-in all of the holiday lights and decorations.

The Main Street Christmas Open House continued into Sunday (Nov. 13) from noon to 4 p.m.