Community members and visitors of all ages gather in the spirit of the holidays during Delano’s annual town event, which has been held since 2009. Photos: Delano Old-Fashioned Christmas
Mark the season the old-fashioned way at town’s annual celebration.
Since 2009, Delano’s downtown has transformed into a winter wonderland during the first Saturday of each December. The community rallies to create a celebration of local artists, businesses and music, featuring a full slate of family activities. This year’s event is set for 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (followed by a parade) December 5.
Delano’s Old-Fashioned Christmas began as an initiative by the Delano Area Council for Arts and Culture to spotlight the local arts scene and infuse the downtown area with a community-centric event and bring awareness about the district. According to council president Deb DeBeer, some people didn’t realize Delano had a downtown, and the council planned an art walk around Christmastime to draw people to the area. As word spread about the event, more local organizations became involved, resulting in a larger festival, which offered broader community elements.
“We have the old-fashioned part because we were trying to pay tribute to the historic downtown,” says DeBeer, who can be found at the celebration wearing a Victorian-era costume. “I think the old-fashioned part, for some people, other than costuming, is just neighbors getting together. We’re definitely a city, but it gives that small-town feel, and everybody can share with their neighbors.”
According to DeBeer, the festival regularly draws a couple thousand people to enjoy the makers market, which features items from preserved jams to artisan jewelry; and seasonal treats and food trucks, along with local boutiques and restaurants. But that’s only part of the celebration.
If winter weather cooperates, attendees can be found filling the streets and warming up around toasty bonfires with hot drinks. The Great River Regional Library–Delano and the Delano Heritage Center also serve as gathering spots for games and conversation.
Music certainly takes center stage at the community celebration with local musicians and school groups, performing at various venues throughout town or walking through the crowds to perform. The council also recruits Delano schools’ drama clubs and enthusiasts to act as storybook characters throughout the day. The Deladazzle Parade winds through town at dusk, bringing generations together for a tried-and-true tradition. (The full schedule of events will be available at least a week prior on the council’s website.)
Putting on an event of this magnitude takes planning and all hands on deck the day of. Dozens of volunteers help the event run smoothly, manning the information desk, giving out maps and storybook character hunt sheets to children, driving the kids’ train and more. Local businesses and organizations join in on the fun as well, including members or staff of the Delano Senior Center, the local library and the Girl Scouts, to name a few.
“Because there’s [variety] in the Old Fashioned Christmas, there is kind of something for everybody, depending on the time of the day,” DeBeer says. “What does my heart good—especially if it’s a nice day—people are out, neighbors are visiting. You see people that you haven’t seen in a few months because it’s been winter, or everybody has busy lives, and you have a chance to say, ‘Hello.’”
