Menomonee Falls Downtown has added a Fall Harvest Festival and Christmas in the Falls this year. Here’s what you need to know.
After seeing thousands of people attend the downtown Menomonee Falls events in the past two years, Menomonee Falls Downtown has announced two new events scheduled for this year: Fall Harvest Festival and Christmas in the Falls.
Fall Harvest Festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 at Mill Pond Park, between Main Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Menomonee Falls.
Christmas in the Falls comprises four holiday events throughout the season.
"The events help the downtown," said Cailyn Kison, social media manager for Menomonee Falls Downtown.
Fall Harvest Festival
Kison said the Menomonee Falls Downtown Board opted for a harvest festival over an Oktoberfest celebration.
"We wanted this to be more family oriented," Kison explained.
Kison also said that some nearby communities already have Oktoberfest, and the Downtown organization wanted to do something different. "The Harvest Festival will be in the heart of the downtown, and it gets people walking up and down the street by the businesses," she said.
The event will include fall-themed activities such as a chili cookoff and pumpkin painting. There will also be booths with local vendors, a pet costume contest, seasonal beers and live music.
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Christmas in the Falls
Downtown business leaders want Menomonee Falls to be a destination place for the holiday season, Kison said, and are organizing four holiday events as part of Christmas in the Falls.
Downtown businesses are scheduled to once again do Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26.
New this year, St. Nick Saturday is Dec. 3; participating downtown businesses will specialize in selling stocking stuffers.
With the addition of a Christkindl Market from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 10, many people should be able to support the small downtown businesses during the holiday season. The market will include German and Christmas vendors at Main Street and Appleton Avenue and Centennial Plaza.
"There will be some vendors inside and outside," she noted. She also said there will be German music, German foods and a place where people can take a picture with Santa at his workshop next to Centennial Plaza.
Holiday Helpers Saturday will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 17. "Elves," mostly high school students, will help shoppers select last-minute gifts and provide free gift wrapping at Henrizi Schneider Legion Post No. 382., N88 W16652 Main St.
"We want people to experience what the local shops have to offer," said Kison.
The new events join other successful events in the downtown area, such as the Lavender Festival, Memorial Fest, trick-or-treating, an Easter event and annual Art Walk.
"Menomonee Falls has become an exciting and dynamic destination village in the truest sense and largely due to the revitalization efforts that have brought in new businesses and residential living. And the transformation of our Village Park has allowed us to expand the number and types of events that would not have been previously possible," said Village President Dave Glasgow.
"The sheer diversity of these events in our village — ranging from concerts in the park, (the) art festival, Lavender Fest in July, Falls Memorial Fest and many others provide opportunities for residents and visitors throughout the year to come together as a community," he said.
Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fall Harvest Festival and Christkindl Market coming to Menomonee Falls
