Lighting of Square Returns with Many Holiday Activities

The Lighting of the Square in downtown Noblesville returns as Noblesville Chamber of Commerce’s annual tree lighting ceremony is welcomed back into the Hamilton County Government & Judicial Center this holiday season.

Noblesville Chamber president Bob DuBois said for the past two years the tree-lighting ceremony has been outdoors on the steps of the historic Courthouse but returns this year to inside the Judicial Center.

The tree-lighting event, which in 2020 shifted to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, will be open to the community. Doors open at 6 p.m., with prelude music at 6:15 p.m., and full program begins at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday. A visit by Santa at about 7:20 p.m. will lead the community out of the Judicial Center and onto the Square for the countdown to the tree lighting.

Performers this year include Noblesville First United Methodist Church Choir, David Hartman Trio, EnPointe Indiana Ballet, Geoff Davis, Noblesville High School strings ensemble, and several Noblesville show choir duos and soloists, including Gabbie Manns, Mason Kebrdle, Maddux Morrison, Kari Verdeyen, Sarah Rolinson, Sean Wood and Colin McCabe.

Here are details of 29 more holiday things to do this week and beyond:

1. The Federal Hill Commons Ice Plaza opened Saturday and will remain open through Jan. 9 in Noblesville. Rink hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 24, and closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Admission includes skate rental, $13 for ages 13 and older, $11 for ages 12 and younger. Punch passes are available, 10 skate passes for $110; 5 skate passes for $60; skate aid rental $3. Admission and skate rental are good for all day skating. Skate, take a break, shop, grab lunch and come back to skate later the same day for no additional cost.

2. Enjoy a holiday walking light tour, with displays and holiday photo opportunities, every evening now throughout the holiday season at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville. A special Santa mailbox will also be available at the Christmas Cottage.

3. Take a drive through the Magic of Lights: Drive-Through Holiday Lights Experience,” now open nightly at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville.

4. While there’s a waiting list for Reindeer Rides through Dec. 23 on the Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville, there are still some adult Holiday Cheers rides available this season. Take a 75-minute ride with Santa and see Santa’s workshop and cross over Morse Reservoir while singing Christmas carols and sipping hot chocolate, with tickets at nickelplateexpress.com.

5. A 2023 Noblesville Community Toboggan Build Organizational Meeting will be at 8 p.m. today (Tuesday) at Primeval Brewing Co. and will offer a grass-roots gathering to talk about how Geoff Davis can help you build a sled. Many folks have asked how they can build a toboggan and represent Noblesville at the Nationals Toboggan Championships in beautiful Camden, Maine.

6. Join the Drinksgiving with The Dead Squirrels celebration at 7 p.m. Wednesday at 1205 Distillery North in Westfield.

7. Enjoy the music of Jai Baker 3 at 9 p.m. Wednesday (pre-Thanksgiving party) at Joe’s Grille in Westfield.

8. Dress in your warm gear and join the 15th annual Michael Treinen Foundation Turkey Trot, annually at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day Thursday, by registering at michaeltreinenfoundation.org/

9. Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County’s 42nd annual free Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, with a drive-thru meal only available at White River Christian Church, 1685 N. 10th St., Noblesville; at Sheridan Community Center, 300 E. Sixth St., Sheridan; at St. Louis deMontfort Catholic Church, 11441 Hague Road, Noblesville.

10. Partake in the sixth annual My Country Needed Me Thanksgiving Dinner at 11 a.m. Thursday for all who want to come and have a Thanksgiving meal at the Noblesville VFW Post 6246.

11. The Belfry Theatre presents “The Sound of Music” Friday through Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, at The Ivy Tech Auditorium in Noblesville and tickets — $20 for adults and $15 for students, ages 65 and older and military – at thebelfrytheatre.com

12. Suburban Indy Holiday Show will be open for shopping 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Grand Park in Westfield.

13. Take a stroll during A Merry Prairie Holiday outdoor lighting display, opening at 6 p.m. Friday at Conner Prairie in Fishers, featuring thousands of holiday lights, courtesy of Reynolds Farm Equipment, plus visits to Prairietown, food and more.

14. Shop Small Business Saturday is Friday through Monday in downtown Noblesville, encouraging the community to shop local.

15. Hear Fishers vocalist Peter Fulton perform during Carmel Christkindlmarkt in downtown Carmel at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 5 p.m. Dec. 20, 8 p.m. Dec. 21 with Songbook Academy, 2 p.m. Dec. 22, 5 p.m. Dec. 27 and 29 and 8 p.m. Dec. 30, all 45-minute sets.

16. All ages can visit the Hamilton County Historical Society’s Santa House when Santa officially arrives on Sunday, with hours 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 27; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 1 and 15 (both virtual); 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 (First Friday); 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3; noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 4 and 11; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 8 (virtual); 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 9, 16 and 23; noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 10, 17, 18; and noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 24.

17. Join Deck the Downtown beginning at 5 p.m. Dec. 2 with Santa on the Square, Lights Over Seminary (Park), Midnight Madness (5 p.m. to midnight) ice skating at Federal Hill and a trolley to take you everywhere.

18. Enjoy Westfield in Lights 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at Grand Junction Plaza in downtown Westfield.

19. Take a stroll around downtown Noblesville and get your stocking filled with treats and toys from participating businesses from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 2, sponsored by Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim. Stockings are $15 each and proceeds benefit Noblesville Youth Assistance Program.

20. Shop the Noblesville Main Street Holiday Market 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at Federal Hill Commons, with food trucks, ice skating, and holiday vendors.

21. Families can reserve a private 15-minute carriage ride, weekends Dec. 3-18, through downtown Noblesville for $75 or a carriage ride with Santa for $125. Carriage rides can seat up to six adults and three to five children on adults’ laps (Santa rides seat five adults and three to five children on adults’ laps.

22. The Noblesville Christmas Parade is back on in 2022 but has moved to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, on the traditional parade route, starting in the Ivy Tech Hamilton County Campus parking lot in Noblesville and traveling south on 16th Street, west on Logan Street, north on Ninth Street and west on Monument Street back to the college. Nonprofits only are invited to participate in the parade. The parade is part of Mayor Chris Jensen’s “Home for the Holidays Tour,” which will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 3 with three parade routes, and another three parade routes on Dec. 5 west of the White River. Nonprofits may register for the 2 p.m. Dec. 4 downtown parade at cityofnoblesville.org/santaparade

23. Our Town Cicero will present a Tree Lighting Festival and Parade on Dec. 3, with the parade at 6 p.m. Dec. 3, with a Tree Lighting Festival from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with 2023 Morse Lake calendars and prints available.

24. Auditions for The Attic Theatre’s youth production of “The Little Mermaid,” for ages 18 and younger, will be 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at Oasis Community Church in Tipton with the performances Feb. 16-18 at The Ivy Tech Auditorium in Noblesville, with RSVP required for a time slot at rebecca.atticetheatre@gmail.com

25. Make reservations for Noblesville Main Street’s Holiday Dinner benefiting the nonprofit from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 8 in the historic Lacy (Arts) Building (former Kirk Hardware) at 848 Logan St., with tickets starting at $150 for a catered meal and featuring Old Town musician Kelli Ray Yates, a wine pull and auction and more.

26. Enjoy “Christmas at the Playhouse” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Basile Westfield Playhouse featuring six original one-act plays, “A Requiem for Shermy-last Minute Shoppers,” “Clara The Christmas Angel,” “Holiday Cards,” “Garland, Gynos and Gurneys” and Traditions,” directed by Nicole  Amsler, Kelly Keller and Jen Otterman, with tickets $12-$15 and veterans and military free, at westfieldplayhouse.org.

27. Hear the Noblesville First UMC Chancel Choir during a Christmas Festival of Music & Art at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at the church, with a Janus Art Sale, following by a Christmas concert at 7 p.m., with free admission.

28. The Attic Theatre presents “Hello Dolly!” musical at 7 p.m. Dec. 14-17 at Ivy Tech with show times at $12 tickets, $8 for ages 4-12, tickets at theattictheatre.com.

29. EnPointe Indiana Ballet presents “An EnPointe Christmas” at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 2 p.m. Dec. 17 at Noblesville High School Auditorium, with tickets, at $10, available at https://enpointe.yapsody.com. The show features 108 dancers and more than 25 dance numbers with a mix of classical and contemporary ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, plus a nine-minute finale to a playful rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Contact Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com. Save the Date in January 2023: The Underdog Theatre presents “The Choices We Make,” an original one-act play written and directed by Clay Howard, a 2022 Noblesville High School graduate, and featuring students, on stage for three performances, at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Jan. 7, at the Noblesville First United Methodist Church in Celebration Hall. Visit underdogtheatre.org