Wauwatosa's Village Tree Lighting Adds Activities and Attractions

The Village of Wauwatosa’s Holiday Magic Weekend of festivities is schedule for November 30 and December 1. The Tree Lighting Ceremony, coordinated by the Village of Wauwatosa Business Improvement District, kicks off the weekend at 6pm on Friday, November 30th in Root Common Park where Harwood meets Wauwatosa Avenue. Make sure to stick around afterwards and come back on Saturday for a whole weekend of fun, festive and FREE activities!

The McKinley School Chorus, a participant in the Tree Lighting Ceremony for fifteen years, will be joined this year by the Sophia’s Heart Foundation Choir. Sophia’s Heart, founded by Danny Gokey in 2008, provides after-school choir and dance programs for the central city’s most at-risk Middle to High School age students. The programs encourage confidence, responsibility, independence, empowerment, and a sense of belonging and self-worth through the arts. The hope of Sophia’s Heart Foundation is to reach broader family needs by first drawing in at-risk children and youth.

Other highlights of the Tree Lighting Ceremony include cocoa, hot cider and cookies compliments of CAFÉ HOLLANDER and FIREFLY URBAN BAR AND GRILL and Santa’s arrival on the Wauwatosa Fire Department’s brand new red engine!

Stick around after the ceremony for a horse-drawn wagon ride through the Village from 6:30-9:00PM; the ride is free of charge but a non-perishable food item or monetary donation for Hunger Task Force is encouraged. Also, enjoy a little one-on-one time with Mr. and Mrs. Claus at PAULINA, face painting, an ornament craft, and raffles every half hour at BASKIN ROBBINS, cookie decorating for kids at YO MAMA, and Christmas crafts for kids at B GREEN. ARTÉ WINE AND PAINTING STUDIO will have live music, paintings for sale and small canvases to paint with proceeds going to Hunger Task Force. Shops will be open late on Friday night to accommodate your holiday shopping needs.

If you run out of time on Friday night, stop back on Saturday, December 1st. Kids crafts at B Green, Arté’s Hunger Task Force fundraiser and the horse-drawn wagon in Root Common will be available from 2:30-6:00 pm. The Salvation Army Brass Ensemble will also be in Root Common from 2:30-6:00pm to entertain Village guests; free cd’s while supplies last. With the incredible variety of unique shops and restaurants in the Village, you'll be sure to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list and that perfect treat to satisfy your taste buds.

Holiday Magic festivities are sponsored by WATERSTONE BANK and PNC BANK. Please bring non-perishable food donations for HUNGER TASK FORCE which distributes to the Tosa Food Pantry. Visit www.VillageofWauwatosa.com for complete details.

The Village of Wauwatosa Business Improvement District (BID) is a nonprofit organization that serves the local businesses and surrounding community. The BID strives to provide a positive, productive and nurturing environment that will attract new business and retain existing business, as well as promote aesthetic improvements that make the Village a comfortable and exciting place to live, work, eat, and play.