DOWAGIAC — Families visiting downtown Dowagiac during the community’s Christmas Open House Saturday will enjoy several family activities along with a children’s drawing that awards a towering gift basket to a boy and girl, plus the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accompany Jolly Ol’ St. Nick in the Dowagiac Candle-light Christmas Parade, organizers said.

Now in its 15th year, the children’s drawing is one of several holiday events staged downtown during Family Activity Day from 10 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16.

The four-part Yuletide celebration, presented by Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, represents the official start to the holiday season.  Open House Weekend kicks off Friday at retail locations across the community.  The celebration also includes Small Business Saturday, the Candle-light Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 6, and Breakfast with Santa, co-hosted by the Dowagiac Elks on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Along with Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital, corporate sponsors of the holiday celebration include: the Business Center of Southwestern Michigan, Clark Chapel/Starks Funeral Homes, Cass County Council on Aging, Deck the Halls, Dowagiac Area Federal Credit Union, Dowagiac Area History Museum, Edward Jones office of Kim MacGregor, Imperial Furniture, John A. Vylonis Custom Building, Mahar Insurance, The Timbers of Cass County, Vincent J. Jewelers and a private donor.

An Old-World Santa, assisted by the Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor, will visit with children Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. within the Pompeii Room at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria.  Vickie Phillipson, chamber of commerce program director and chairman of the holiday celebration, said families will also find a European-styled Mrs. Claus at Wood Fire, making packets of Magic Reindeer Dust with children.

According to the holiday legend, children who sprinkle the magic dust outside their homes on Christmas Eve will ensure a visit from St. Nicholas before they awaken the next morning.  The interactive workshop with Mrs. Claus is presented courtesy of the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant, which celebrates its 81st year in 2020.

Phillipson said she is pleased to again present a life-size “Elf on a Shelf,” who will greet families at Beckwith Park, where children can also see the costumed miniature horses of Hidden Acres. At Beckwith Park day-visitors can purchase holiday baked goods and greenery, and take a horse-drawn wagon ride from the downtown to the Dowagiac Area History Museum, where they can design an original Christmas card and frost Christmas cookies with a member of the Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor.

The Dowagiac Fire Department will roast marshmallows at Beckwith Park as families enjoy the four-hour Holiday Showcase of Local Youth, including performances by Dowagiac Union High School choir and marching band, Miss Michele & Co., and Green Dance Academy and Positively Dance.

In-store events will be hosted at Bow Wow Bakery & Bath, where Blue Print Photography will take holiday pet photos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at Who Knew? Consignment, where Kris Kringle Krafts will be available until 3 p.m.  At Dowagiac Middle School, day-visitors will enjoy the annual Theta Mu Sorority Craft Show from 9 to 3 p.m.

For a full list of holiday activities or to register a unit in the Dec. 6 Candle-light Christmas Parade, call the Chamber of Commerce at (269) 782-8212 or visit DowagiacChamber.com or its Facebook page.