Come and join the celebration! This Friday, Dec. 5, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., Queen Anne Avenue will come alive with Holiday Magic - the name for a neighborhood celebration marking its first decade. There will be live music, live animals and Santa and his elves.
"It is a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season," says Sue Bridenstine, owner of the Homing Instinct. Each year the Queen Anne merchants get together and plan a holiday celebration for the Queen Anne neighborhood.
"We do it as a thank-you to our community," says Bridenstine.
In 1991 the merchants located along the 1600 block of Queen Anne Avenue decided to have a Christmas holiday evening. They opened their doors and offered a place to celebrate the season.
"We were really surprised by how many people turned out," recalls Bridenstine, who's been part of Holiday Magic from the beginning.
The following year more merchants joined, and so it's gone into the new millennium. "Every year we try to make it a little bit bigger and better," says Patti McCall, co-owner of Queen Anne Avenue Books.
This year is no exception. Along the avenue, from Galer Street to McGraw, there will be events and activities for the entire family.
The main stage, located on the front lawn of Bethany Presbyterian Church, will host live music and a tree-lighting ceremony.
"The streets are packed, and people are out strolling," says McCall. "They get dressed up, and it is really happy. There's a lot of laughter and a lot of noise."
Earlier this year McCall received a telephone call from a Queen Anne family that had moved to Michigan. They were planning a trip back to Seattle and needed to know when Holiday Magic would be held so that they could participate in the festivities.
The call was a nice reminder that Holiday Magic is enjoyed and appreciated by many. People look forward to coming together as a community.
"I love walking up and down the street and seeing people that I know," says Sue Bridenstine. "There is such a community feel. You see families having fun, people greeting friends, and it's just warm and cozy."
This year Clay Martin's Puppet Theater and the petting zoo are back. So is the Trolley. Families can look forward to free rides up and down Queen Anne Avenue, along with a variety of music ranging from "Slide and the Family Bones" brass en-semble to The Dickens Carolers. In addition, Santa and his elves are coming down from the North Pole. At HomeStreet Bank, kids and adults can share their Christmas wishes and get a free Polaroid with Santa.
"Holiday Magic has taken on a life of its own," explains Bridenstine.
Everyone who gets involved is enthusiastic. This year the John Hay Choir will wear Santa hats and have bells to jingle during their performances. Metropolitan Market will serve hot apple cider and roasted chestnuts, and there will be elves at each trolley stop handing out balloons and candy.
"This event is not fancy, it is not hi-tech, big-corporate. It is old-fashioned and not glitzy, and it feels really good," says Bridenstine.
The night also offers a great way for residents to learn about the shops on Queen Anne. Our community is rich with eclectic people and places. Queen Anne Avenue Books will have six local authors signing their books, including Mary Daheim.
"Holiday Magic is really something that we do with the community in mind," explains McCall. "Queen Anne deserves this special night."
With that in mind, bundle up, bring the ones you love, and prepare for a night of real Holiday Magic!
Ritzy Ryciak is a freelance writer looking for vacancies on Queen Anne Hill.
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