Visitors to Merry Main Street presented by AT&T in downtown Mesa will see many familiar characters from the iconic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer television special. Bumble the Abominable Snow Man welcomes ice skaters to the Winter Wonderland ice rink and moviegoers to the Plaza at Mesa City Center, 56 E. Main Street. Rudolph, himself, is across the street at the Mesa Arts Center Alliance Pavilion, where people can take selfies. Other familiar holiday figures at the ice rink, Mesa City Hall and the Mesa Arts Center include Yukon Cornelius, Sam the Snowman and characters from the Island of Misfit Toys. All of them provide great photo opportunities.
Something old has become something new at Merry Main Street. Large holiday ornaments that once hung along Main Street in the 1960s and 70s are again displayed this holiday season. Mesa Parks and Recreation staff members discovered and restored the vintage ornaments. They are now on display on all four corners at the intersection of Main and Macdonald, outside Mesa City Hall and Mesa Arts Center and inside The Post, located at 26 N. Macdonald, where Santa visits every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 22.
Our title sponsor, AT&T, is bringing sledding to the desert to add to the new attractions. They have created a small sledding hill with artificial snow along Pepper Place. It will be open for all ages on Dec. 13, 14, 20 and 21 from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The Plaza at Mesa City Center offers ice skating under the stars daily through Jan. 11, except for Dec. 25. Holiday Movies at the Plaza bring festive movies to the Plaza at Mesa City Center every Friday through Jan. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Its an excellent opportunity to watch while skating or bring your blankets to sit and watch the holiday classics on the large screen of the ASU Mix Center. All movies are closed-captioned for people who are hard of hearing:
Dec. 13 - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
Dec. 20 - A Christmas Carol
Dec. 27 - Twice Upon a Yesterday Christmas
Jan. 3 - Frozen II
For more information about Merry Main Street activities, visit merrymainstreet.com.
Merry Main Street, presented by AT&T, is in partnership with the City of Mesa, Mesa Parks and Recreation, City of Mesa Water Resources, Downtown Mesa Association, Visit Mesa, Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Prensa Arizona, Delta Hotels, Benedictine University, Caliber, Legacy Traditional Schools, Nesbitt Contracting, Power Home Remodeling, Renewal by Andersen, Valley Metro, VCA Animal Referral & Emergency Center of Arizona, Sysco and Okland.