While not outright canceled Saturday, Christmas California Style is yet another community event that will look slightly different this year thanks to the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite some changes, a smaller than usual group of businesses will stay the course in offering promotions and events of their own, the annual parade will move forward as planned, and the community will become decidedly more festive in short order this week.
As far as the annual event spearheaded by the California Area Chamber of Commerce goes, not much has been canceled; a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus won't take place at Sweet Chipotle following the Christmas parade Saturday evening, nor will the typical weekend performance from the California Kids choir at Village Green Shopping Center thanks to a lack of practice time for the group given the school district's recent period of virtual learning.
Otherwise, the annual community Christmas celebration is a go.
Though some businesses will still host their own events, the amount planning to do so is far less than in typical iterations of the citywide Christmas celebration, Chamber executive secretary Sandra Ratcliff said. A handful of businesses - like Elevate Fitness Studio, Grace Designs, Winding Road and new antique shop The Milkbarn - all have planned promotions for this Saturday. Other usual participants are opting out this year, Ratcliff said; the traditional wine tasting at Mr. G's Liquor won't be taking place, for example, nor will the usual events at California's banks.
Ratcliff said in general, she heard from far fewer businesses than she usually does about planned promotions.
"As far as the business open houses and everything, we've left that up to the business," Ratcliff said. "I don't have much participation, and I understand why, but we didn't cancel that part of it at all."
The event has grown and evolved over the years, Ratcliff said, meaning promotions from local businesses aren't the only thing driving the event.
"Everything that has evolved around Christmas California Style over the years has been the events that we've had with it; we include the Saturday events that are business-related, and we also include the parade in that celebration, plus any of the activities that have come along with it over the years," Ratcliff said.
That allows for some creativity when navigating some of the changes prompted by the presence of COVID-19 in the county, Ratcliff said. While Santa and Mrs. Claus won't be available for face-to-face visiting Saturday night, they will be riding in the parade for children in the community to see, a departure from one of the usual parade rules asking that floats don't include live Santas. The Chamber has also discouraged parade participants from throwing any candy or treats to viewers on the sidewalks, again in an effort to keep preventing the spread of COVID-19 in mind.
Another part of that evolution that Ratcliff said she and the Chamber hope can provide a safe option for holiday festivities is the growing Christmas in Proctor Park, now entering its second year. The group of lighted displays hosted by businesses and organizations at the park has grown to include 57 different entries this season.
"(We would) encourage people to drive through the park; that's healthy and safe, and it's a good family activity for the holiday season," Ratcliff said. "That's something, considering the times, that we want to encourage people to take the opportunity to enjoy, and maybe put other things out of their mind for a while."