[UPDATED] Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, is the Annual Holiday Stroll in West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square.

Holiday Stroll window display contest winner, 2013: Kimberly Boutique. This year you can participate in window judging. Photo by Joy Taylor

By Ronni Newton and Joy Taylor

UPDATES:

Visitors to West Hartford’s 2014 Holiday Stroll will have the opportunity to participate in an exciting scavenger hunt this year, with some fantastic prizes for the winners. To get a list of the 15 clues, stop by the Showmobile on the corner of Farmington Avenue and LaSalle Road. When you find at least 10 of the clues (must be documented by a store associate), bring your list to Fleet Feet Sports at 1003 Farmington Ave. for a chance to win a prize. The drawing will be held at 8 p.m.

Prizes, donated by the following merchants, include:

• Fleet Feet – Adidas bag w/ water bottle, socks, gift certificate
• BK&Co – Pandora bracelet and charm
• Iris Photography – gift certificate
• De Robertis Jewelers – gift certificate
• Lyn Evans – leopard print scarf and mixed metal necklaces
• Ten Thousand Villages – bag of fair trade goodies
• Kaoud – area rug
• FaceRx – free facial
• Lux Bond & Green – necklace

Also, please note that FREE PARKING will be available in the Town Hall parking lot, which can be accessed from either South Main Street or Raymond Road.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The West Hartford Center Business Association is hosting its Annual Holiday Stroll from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., on Thursday, Dec., 4, 2014, and organizers are hoping a large crowd will “shop, dine, and stroll” in West Hartford that night as well as throughout the holiday season.

The festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m., and since the ground is not yet snow-covered, Santa Claus plans to leave his sleigh at home and hitch a ride with the West Hartford Fire Department directly to West Hartford Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus, with the assistance of an elf or two, will then take requests at the Toy Chest.

At the corner of LaSalle Road and Farmington Avenue, the showmobile will serve as the stage for a host of performers that include local choirs, professional carolers, ballroom dancers, and the cast of Playhouse on Park’s “Altar Boyz.” Be sure to stop by the showmobile for a brochure and schedule of activities. There’s a first aid tent there, too, just in case.

Fleet Feet Sports will offer a one-mile Holiday Fun Run beginning in front of their store just after 5:30 on The “Upper Ave.” portion of Farmington Avenue. Marshmallow toasting over a bonfire on the corner of Dale and Farmington will follow.

Stroll throughout the Center and check out the window displays. Then, vote for your favorite on We-Ha.com through Dec. 9.

Bid on your favorite Christmas tree at First Church’s Festival of Trees and you could take home a new tree this year.

Take a horsedrawn carriage ride. Or, if you prefer hanging out with non-equine animals, there will be some unique critters from The New Children’s Musuem at Kaoud Oriental Rug Gallery.

There are more performers in Blue Back Square, including the West Hartford Women’s Chorale. This year’s “Gingerbread Build,” a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, is in the former Ann Taylor space in Blue Back.

Many Blue Back Square merchants are also offering food samples, special promotions, and entertainment.

There’s food, drink, and entertainment to suit every taste! Below is a preliminary schedule of events, but be sure to check back with We-Ha.com and TheCenterWestHartford.com for updates and additions.

WEST HARTFORD CENTER AREA

Mascots:

• The University of Hartford Hawks – Howie the Hawk
• The New Britain Rock Cats – Rocky
• The Hartford Wolfpack – Sonar

Food Vendors:

• LaPetite France – crepe cart
• ShopRite Markets – cookies and baked goods
• Nora Cupcake truck
• Edible Arrangements
• Whole Foods Market – hot chocolate
• Fleet Feet and Hart Real Estate – marshmallow roasting

Entertainment (at Showmobile at the corner of LaSalle and Farmington, unless otherwise noted)

• Santa & Mrs Claus with an Elf – Toy Chest from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Ballet Theatre Company dancers – Farmington Bank
• Hartt School of Ballet—Spruce on Farmington Avenue
• Foxglove Farms- Horse drawn carriage rides around the Center
• West Hartford Fire Department – two big red fire trucks, one on Farmington Avenue, one on LaSalle Road
• New England Carolers
• Duffy Choir – performing on the stage at 5:45
• Conard High School Be S#arp a capella group performing on the stage at 6:45
• Playhouse on Park– Altar Boyz performing on stage at 6:15
• Arthur Murray Dance Studio – ballroom dancing on the stage at 7:10

First Aid Tent: 

Doctors Express (near showmobile)

Retail and restaurant specials:

• BK& Co – live mannequin modeling, C&S Style Bracelet Trunk Show, Rob The Balloon Guy
• Bridgewater Chocolates – tastings of assorted chocolates
• Claypen – face painting by Amazing Face Art, music by Madison Yearsley
• Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – the famous Coldwell Banker cookie giveaway
• DeRobertis Jewelers – light refreshments
• First Church – Festival of Trees
• Iris Photography – Holiday photo booth
• Kaoud Oriental Rugs – The New Children’s Museum LIVE Animals (back by popular demand)
• Kimberly Boutique – popcorn
• Labrazel Home – eggnog and cookies and 20 percent off all table linens and Yves Delorme bed and bath
• La Petite France – Yule log samples and free bag of cookies with holiday order
• LCR – 15 percent off in-stock product (exclusions apply)
• Ten Thousand Villages – fair trade hot cocoa
• Village Vitality – hot tea and candy canes

BLUE BACK SQUARE

Pergola Stage: 

• 5:30 p.m. – The Holly Jollies
• 6 p.m. – Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts Musical Theatre
• 6:30 p.m. – West Hartford Women’s Chorale
• 7:30 pm – Sea Tea Improv
• 8 p.m. – Hart Attack

Other Performances: 

• Conard Jazz Combo will be performing in the Habitat for Humanity space.
• The JCC Klezshpil will be performing in the lobby of The Rutherford Building.

Activities :

• See some amazing gingerbread houses and decorate them too with Habitat for Humanity, across from Crate & Barrel.
• Stop by Hartford Stage (next to Habitat and Janie & Jack) for ticket giveaways, games, crafts and much more.
• Sample some treats with Qdoba in the square.
• Horse Drawn Carriage Rides and visits with Santa throughout the evening

Retailers & Restaurants: 

• Per Se Aveda – Organic Winter Wonderland with Santa and his elf
• Barnes & Noble – Polar Express Story Time at  7 p.m.
• Besito – Churros and Mexican hot chocolate
• Charming Charlie – gift with purchase
• Crate & Barrel – samples and live music
• Fleming’s – hot cider and truffles
• Giftology – cookies and refreshments
• The Green Teahouse – samples of fudge mint tea and cookies
• Kennedy’s Barber – cookies and candy canes as well as cut & shave cards for men
• Lucy Activewear – treats with Santa and very special guests
• Moe’s – musician Mark Ramponi
• Munson’s Chocolates – samples
• Muse Paintbar – 10 percent off food for painters
• Ooh La La Boutique – holiday toys
• Potbelly – hot cocoa
• Rizzuto’s – hors d’oeuvres
• SPIN Monograms & Gifts – cookies and Hall High School cheerleaders
• White House/Black Market – 10 percent off and treats

Kaoud Oriental Rugs will have “visiting critters” from The New Children’s Museum, and the “Festival of Trees” is happening at First Church. Photos by Joy Taylor