The annual transformation of Arab’s Historic Village into a winter wonderland continues through Saturday, December 23. The ten buildings normally portray a royal community from the 1880s to the 1940s. During the holidays, the city turns the complex into a Christmas Village with visits from the big man in red.
The city’s Santa in the Village event takes place Fridays and Saturdays through the weekend before Christmas, weather permitting. Tabitha Dailey is the Arab Historic Village Coordinator. She said a range of activities are available throughout the village in different locations.
“We have Santa located in our school. We have train rides, letters to Santa, ornament decorating. We provide little bags of corn for the children to spread out on Christmas Eve,” she said. “We have a blacksmith that is making reindeer shoes. We have music and hot chocolate, baked goods. There's lots and lots of places for families to take pictures.”
This is the 13th year that the city of Arab has put on the Santa in the Village. Dailey said there have been some changes and improvements to the event throughout the years, but the theme has remained the same.
“We always make sure to stay true to the idea that we want an event that's enjoyable for everyone in our community and the surrounding areas,” she explained. “We want to capture the essence of the season and give visitors a chance to escape all the stress and worries, even if it's just for a few hours.”
Dailey said the city sees visitors from all over North Alabama, and even some annual visitors from out of state include the holiday event in their family traditions.
“At Santa in the Village, we strive very hard to provide a fun family atmosphere in a unique setting,” she explained. “There's not a lot of places that have a historic village setting that has the ability to do this. So, we want our visitors to enjoy it so much that they choose every year to come back and see what changes we've made and how we decorated for the year.”
Dailey said all buildings at the Santa in the Village event are handicap accessible and welcoming to all ages.
“We have workers throughout the village [who] are more than happy to help anyone if they need help, or if we need to make some accommodations for them as well,” she said. “This event such a big draw for our community because we always make sure that it's accessible and welcoming for anyone of any age. The small children, the grandparents, everybody has fun. We want them to feel comfortable, and we want them to feel relaxed while visiting.”
Locals and visitors are able to experience holiday cheer in Arab through this festive display, and Dailey said the local economy also sees a boost.
“While people are here, they're getting gas. They're shopping in our stores. They are able to see what our town has,” she explained. “We have several unique shops located downtown and unique dining experiences. It gives people an idea of what we have, so they can visit while they're here, or make plans to come back and visit another time.”
Dailey said while the event runs Fridays and Saturdays, weather often plays a big role in the holiday festivities.
“I would like to say, due to the event being very weather dependent, we always make sure to announce on our Facebook pages for Santa in the Village, Christmas in the Park and Arab Parks and Recreation, if we have to cancel,” she explained. “If it's a heavy downpour, we don't want the kids out and getting cold and getting sick. So, sometimes we do have to cancel due to weather.”
Admission to Arab’s Santa in the Village event is $6 for anyone over the age of four. Proceeds go into the city’s contribution account which is used for needs and improvements in the Parks and Recreation Department.
