25th Warren Holiday Festival This Weekend

For the 25th time on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 29-30, Warren will celebrate the holiday season with a two-day Holiday Festival spread out all over downtown and the historic district.

“Like always, it will be a real Norman Rockwell event,” said Marilyn Mathison, the organizer for about half of its 25 years. “It's totally family-oriented.”

The festival starts Friday evening and continues on Saturday afternoon. Separate tree lightings at a Water Street park and at Town Hall on Main Street will highlight Friday evening festivities. 

“Hope for good weather,” said Mathison. “And dress warm.”

The festival will have much of the same of previous years, including a visit by Santa Claus to the Baker Street Fire Museum to kick off the festival at 5 pm Friday, street performers, a candlelight procession led by the Federal Blues Militia and the Mt. Hope Marching Band between the tree lightings on Water Street and Main Street.

“Expect the Main Street tree lighting to happen between 7 and 7:30 pm,” Mathison said. “We never quite know. The schedule is always kind of loosey-goosey."

New activities after the Main Street tree lighting this year, said Mathison, are sing-along caroling with the Hugh Cole Chorus at the Warren Fire Department headquarters off Railroad Avenue and music by Mike D and His All Stars with beer and wine at the historic Armory on Jefferson Street. 

Other events on Friday night include ornament workshops for kids at the Rescue Squad headquarters on Miller Street and the Old Warren Marina on Church Street, a performance by the Mount Hope Vocal Ensemble, stilt walking, juggling and hula hooping by Circus Dynamics. 

Saturday activities include Santa’s arrival at noon at the former senior center, rides around town on a trolley, story telling at the Armory, Touch a guitar ensemble at the Imago art gallery on Market Street, performances by the Mt. Hope Brass Choir and Mt. Hope High School Chorus, a craft fair at the Warren Community Center and a gingerbread cookie workshop at George Hail Library on Main Street.