The Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce is putting together the final details on its much- anticipated, revived Holiday Stroll event which is taking place on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

   The town-wide happening is gearing up to be a fun-filled community event bringing businesses and residents together with participating Hopkinton retailers and non-profit organizations opening their doors to offer a variety of holiday themed activities for everyone to enjoy.

   The Holiday Stroll used to be an annual event in town each December but as time passed, it petered out.

   “I think the last one was four or five years ago,” explained event co-chair and Chamber member Kelly Grill. “The Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce wanted to revive it because they saw this as a wonderful community celebration and so they’ve taken the reigns and picked it up again.”

   Grill, along with Chamber member Cristina Morrissiey, are co-chairing the event.

   “The Holiday Stroll gives residents the opportunity to visit places in town they might not have necessarily stopped into before, which helps generate foot traffic into participating businesses and organizations,” Morrissiey explained.

   This year, there are more than 25 businesses and organizations in town that have signed up to take part and will offer everything from treats to special discounts, giveaways, and more. Participating businesses are located in nearly every part of town including Weston Nurseries to Christine’s Nails, to Hopkinton Drug, and Hopkinton Center for the Arts, among many others.

   A few of the confirmed activities include Hopkinton Drug to offer patrons holiday music and pictures with Santa. Carolers will be strolling and singing throughout the downtown area courtesy of the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, which will also host a festival of wreaths to be raffled off, two showings of the Nutcracker, and Anna and Elsa of Frozen will also be making an appearance.

   Adding to the fun are four $500 cash prizes to be given to lucky participants. Through a passport challenge, those persons who visit every participating location will receive a stamp in a passport book and are then eligible to win the prize through a drawing.

   The passports will be an insert in the Day of Event brochure, which will be available in print at participating locations and on the Chamber’s website prior to the event.

  Both co-chairs agree the event would not be possible without its participating locations and its sponsors who include Presenting Sponsor Unibank, Supporting Sponsor Hopkinton Independent, and Marketing Sponsors AB Designs and Hopkinton Center for the Arts.

   Grill added it’s hoped that the event is such a success this year that the Chamber will continue to bring it back each December.

   “That’s the goal anyway,” she said.

The day will culminate with the caroling on the Town Common at 4 p.m. followed by the annual tree lighting at 4:30 p.m. Santa plans to arrive via fire truck to greet everyone there.