'Tis time for activities and fun

ASHEBORO – Join us for a wonderful evening of community as the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce presents Christmas Downtown this Friday, Dec. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Asheboro.  

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the lobby of the City of Asheboro gym/recreation center to visit with children for photo opportunities. The line for Santa will wind through the gym so guests will be protected from any weather. Marshmallow roasting with the City of Asheboro Fire and Rescue Department will be held on North Street outside the rec center. Horse drawn wagon and carriage rides will be offered in Bicentennial Park. Music groups will be performing at four different locations throughout the evening:  in front of First Baptist Church, in front of the City of Asheboro Recreation Center, at the railroad tracks on Sunset Avenue, and at the intersection of Church and Sunset. Photo opportunities with Santa’s Sleigh and reindeer will be available by the Asheboro City Hall and a gingerbread house at the end of Sunset Avenue at Fayetteville Street.   

Families are encouraged to bring canned food items being collected for CUOC and Salvation Army and drop them off in the Sunset Theatre lobby or the rec center lobby. Also at the theatre, a Christmas movie will be shown, with the reading of the Christmas Story at 8 p.m.  

Other activities include: 

- Trees NC will be giving away Norway Spruce saplings (while supplies last) at the City of Asheboro Christmas tree located at the railroad tracks. 

- Hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and other free goodies will be available at several locations. 

- The Brightspeed and Randolph Arts Guild will have crafting opportunities. 

- Downtown merchants will be decorated in full holiday spirit, and costumed characters including Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Elf, Nutcracker, the Snow Queen, and the Grinch will be roaming downtown. 

- A Letters to Santa station and live nativity scene will also be featured.

Christmas Downtown is presented by the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber in partnership with the City of Asheboro, the Downtown Merchants, and sponsors:  Santa's Helpers: Alpine Health and Rehabilitation of Asheboro, Beane Signs, Inc., Charlie's Heating & Cooling, Cone Health, Cook Out, Oliver Rubber Company, Randolph Community College, Randolph Health Staywell Senior Care, and The Timken Company; Christmas Carolers: Asheboro Kubota, Burge Flower Shop, Katherine Homiller, CPA, Randolph Health; Jingle Bells: All Generations Home Care, Brightspeed, Clark Bell ‐Attorney, Brightspeed, Duke Energy, Four Saints Brewing Company, Bryan and Cheryl Freeman, DDS, PA, Grinz Orthodontics, Pam Hill, Clerk of Court, Insurance Associates of the Triad, Mistletoe Meadows, Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Randolph‐Asheboro YMCA, RCI Doors, Sapona Plastics, Toyota Battery Manufacturing NC, Truist, and Truliant Federal Credit Union; Gingerbread: Asheboro Alarm & Electric, Asheboro Fire & Security, Brubaker & Associates, Carolina Pharmacy, Seagrove, The Fidelity Bank, First Bank, McKenzie Properties and Investments, RCATS Transportation, Ready Telecom, Regional Communities Services Center, Safe‐T‐Works, Trotters Sewing, Upstyled Goods & Salon, WKXR & WZOO Radio.