As promised, I’m going to try to highlight a fun, festive holiday event once a week as we roll through December. There’s so much going on in Cleveland to celebrate the season! This Sunday, December 7, head on over to University Circle for the 21st annual Holiday CircleFest.

The fun starts at Wade Oval. There will be free ice skating at the Rink at Wade Oval (skate rental is $3). In that area, there will also be gourmet food trucks, a s’mores bar from the students at Montessori High School (what? sign me up!), free horse-drawn carriage rides, ice carving demonstrations, and a performance by the Ohio City Singers.

Much like Winterfest, this event encompasses an entire neighborhood. All of University Circle is participating, giving you lots of options as to how to spend your day.

There are many ways to get hands-on at Holiday CircleFest:

• The Children’s Museum of Cleveland will offer a chance to make your own mini CMC snow globe and the opportunity to visit and get a picture with Santa for only $5
• MOCA Cleveland has ArtSquad Plays Activity Space and Art Making: Wearable Electric Gems in collaboration with the Great Lakes Science Center
• Lake View Cemetery offers a chance to make animal-friendly ornaments to be hung on your outdoor trees
• The Cleveland Museum of Natural History will have snowflake-making and winter-themed planetarium shows
• The Cleveland Museum of Art will offer special tours, Night Scenes and Lantern-making workshops, and a Lantern Procession led by giant puppets and dancers
• Build your own gingerbread house and take in the pretty sights at Glow at the Cleveland Botanical Garden
• The Cleveland Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch will have crafts, face painting, and a balloon artist
• Ronald McDonald House offers a cookie decorating party and contest, as well as a holiday show featuring Ronald McDonald

There will be holiday shopping opportunities:

• Junior League of Cleveland’s Children’s Holiday Shop and Treasures in the Attic
• Church of the Covenant‘s The Covenant Cache
• Cleveland Institute of Art‘s annual Student Holiday Sale
• Judson Manor‘s local vendors sale
• Magnolia Clubhouse‘s Bloomin’ upscale resale shop
• Mt. Zion Congregational Church annual craft fair

At almost all of these locations, there will be live musical performances and holiday snacks, as well as holiday music or theater performances at:

• The Cleveland Institute of Music
• The Music Settlement
• Hawken School Sally & Bob Gries Center
• University Circle United Methodist Church 

University Circle is at the heart of Cleveland’s rich cultural community and Holiday CircleFest promises to offer that culture wrapped up in a holiday bow! For more details on all things Holiday CircleFest related, click here.