Get excited for the 2024 Holiday Stroll
The story originally appeared in the Red Wing Republican Eagle (https://www.republicaneagle.com/news/get-excited-for-the-2024-holiday-stroll/article_93f05612-a2d9-11ef-9aac-670072b8e124.html)
For the 23rd time, the Holiday Stroll will take over downtown Red Wing on Nov. 29. Among many activities, the day after Thanksgiving tradition will feature a lighted parade, a visit from Santa, and, for the first time, a drone show.
To attend this year, visitors will need an official Holiday Stroll button. The buttons – designed by Cody Benjamin of Red Wing – follow this year’s theme of Baking Spirits Bright and are available for $3 before the event and $5 on the day of the event.
Advance button purchases can be made at: 210 Plum Crazy, Barrel House, Cut Above Home, Phileo Style, Red Wing Area Chamber of Commerce, River Blu Salon DaySpa, S.W.A.T. – Salon With A Twist, Tootsie Too’s, Kevin’s Service, Mandy’s Coffee & Café, Sheldon Theatre and Red Wing YMCA.
Anyone facing financial challenges interested in attending the Holiday Stroll can get a free button at Hope Coalition and United Way. Buttons are available for anyone, no questions asked.
Following the lighted parade this year is the newly added drone show, where hundreds of illuminated drones change colors and make intricate designs. Mississippi Alumination and Treasure Island Resort & Casino are sponsoring the show, along with the money raised from last year’s button sales.
Depending on weather and snowfall, the drone show will be seen in the sky above Memorial Park or Levee Park, both viewable from downtown. Updates on the location can be found on the Holiday Stroll Facebook page.
As usual, downtown businesses will be open late for the event, and many will host special events and activities for guests of all ages. For instance, the St. James Hotel Lobby will feature a train display, the Red Wing Royal Ambassadors will read stories at Tootsie Too’s, and horse-drawn wagon rides will leave from John Rich Park.
The Sheldon Theatre will also screen two movies as part of the event. They get things started at 1:30 p.m. with a showing of “The Grinch” (2018), and wrap up the event with an 8:30 p.m. screening of “The Holiday” (2006). Santa Claus will visit The Sheldon following “The Grinch.” Doors close for visits with Santa at 6:30 so he can get ready for the parade.
The bulk of the events will begin at 4 p.m., with the parade starting at 7:30 p.m. and the drone show at 8 p.m.
For this year’s parade, the Grand Marshal is Andrea Hanson, owner of Phileo Style. According to Downtown Main Street’s Megan Tsui, Hanson was chosen because she is “a tireless advocate for downtown and downtown merchants.”
Hanson said she was “shocked” to be named Grand Marshal. “It’s been a long time since I was in a parade,” she says. “I was a Miss Red Wing Princess 24 years ago, so that’s my last rodeo.”
Her contributions were also recently honored with the Retail Mentor of the Year Award from the Minnesota Retailers Association.
Hanson, along with her friends Brittany Williams and Candace Dudley, operate Aligned Business Collective, where they offer classes and coaching to women looking to start their own businesses. The trio also hosts a podcast called And She Did It, where they discuss the excitement and challenges of being entrepreneurs.
Of course, the parade’s Grand Marshal will always have to compete with Santa Claus. The commemorative ornament for this year’s Holiday Stroll features an image of Santa Claus arriving in a fire truck at the end of the parade. The image is based on a photo by Downtown Main Street’s Pam Dusbabek taken at a previous Holiday Stroll. Ornaments will be available at Mandy’s and Phileo Style for $30.
More information and a full list of activities can be found at redwingstroll.com.
