{"id":115613,"date":"2021-11-17T09:04:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T15:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=115613"},"modified":"2021-11-16T21:54:09","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T03:54:09","slug":"visit-oxford-offers-festive-fun-for-the-community-with-holly-jolly-holidays-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/visit-oxford-offers-festive-fun-for-the-community-with-holly-jolly-holidays-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Visit Oxford Offers Festive Fun for the Community with Holly Jolly Holidays Events"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 2nd annual Holly Jolly Holidays<\/strong> will make its return to the Oxford<\/strong> community this holiday season. After the\u00a0 success of the inaugural year, the second annual event is expanding to 12 days of ice skating with real ice!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 1\u201312, locals and visitors will have the opportunity to get in the spirit with ice skating located at the Old\u00a0 Armory Pavilion<\/strong> at the corner of Bramlett Boulevard<\/strong> and University Avenue<\/strong>. Skating hours will be: Monday through\u00a0 Friday 3\u20139 pm; Saturday 9 am\u20139 pm; and Sunday 1\u20139 pm. The cost to skate will be $12 per person and includes ice skate\u00a0rentals. Walk up admission only, no advance ticket purchases or reservations needed. New this year, skate aids,\u00a0 aptly named Decker the Dolphin<\/strong>, will be available to help skaters navigate around the ice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn 2020, in the height of the COVID pandemic, we wanted to bring holiday cheer to our community, safely. In one\u00a0 weekend alone, we had over 1000 skaters with thousands more spectators. This year, we wanted to expand our\u00a0 offering so that everyone would have more of an opportunity to experience this magical event,\u201d said Kinney Ferris<\/strong>,\u00a0 Executive Director of Visit Oxford<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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photo by Visit Oxford.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Weekend activities <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional activities will also take place at the Pavilion on Saturdays of Holly Jolly Holidays, including a holiday art market where vendors will be set up from 9 am\u20135 pm on December 4 and 11. The RotoBrothers<\/strong> will also be set up both\u00a0Saturdays to do live caricature drawings for the whole family\u2014a great holiday keepsake! Saturdays on the Square will also include visits with Santa at the Visit Oxford Visitors Center<\/strong> and carriage rides around the Square. Santa will be set up at the Visitors Center on Saturday, December 4 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm and on Saturday, December 11 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. The carriage rides will be available between 3\u20137 pm giving people the chance to ride during the daytime, but also at night under the famous Oxford Square canopy of lights. Reservations will not be taken for\u00a0the carriage rides, but will be offered on a first come, first served basis at a cost of $25 per group.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The double decker bus will run a complimentary shuttle between the Square parking garage and the Pavilion, so\u00a0 patrons can park on the Square and ride the bus to and from ice skating. \u201cWe realize that parking is limited at the\u00a0 Pavilion. We will have additional parking at the Oxford Skate Park throughout Holly Jolly Holidays. We also felt it is\u00a0 important to offer a shuttle service from the Square to the Pavilion since there will be activities at both locations\u00a0those days. We hope this will encourage people to stick around for dining and shopping on the Square,\u201d said Ferris.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ice Carving <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Sunday, December 5, Visit Oxford is hosting a live ice carving demonstration by Vern Barke<\/strong>r beginning at 3 pm.\u00a0 Come watch as this ice carving expert takes a block of ice and turns it into a holiday themed creation! This event is\u00a0 free to the public and will last about an hour.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College Night <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holly Jolly Holidays\u2019 opening night Wednesday, December 1 will be \u201cCollege Night\u201d where college students can enjoy\u00a0 skating at a discount with their college ID. DJ Mario<\/strong> will be the host that night and will keep the music flowing from 6\u2013 9 pm while Taylor Grocery\u2019<\/strong>s food truck will be on-site selling hot food.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food Trucks <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On certain evenings, local food trucks will be set up just outside the Pavilion so skaters can warm up with Taylor  Grocery catfish along with others. Check out Visit Oxford\u2019s Holly Jolly Holidays social media to see updates on specific  dates and times.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letters to Santa <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ever-popular mailbox for Letters to Santa<\/strong>, sponsored by Oxford Park Commission<\/strong>, will be located at the Pavilion\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for the duration of Holly Jolly Holidays. Beginning December 13, the box will be relocated to the Oxford Public  Library. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ornament Auction <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council<\/strong>\u2019s 2021 Ornament<\/strong> Auction will take place Friday December 10 from 7\u20139 pm at the Old Armory Pavilion. This annual event is not only the longest continuously running fundraiser, but is also the main\u00a0 fundraising event that the arts council hosts. While the event has grown over the years, artists from around the\u00a0 region and state donate custom ornaments, which are then put out for silent bidding and purchasing. The event is free for arts council members, and memberships start at $35. \u201cThe ornament auction has always been a celebration of\u00a0how the arts are a core part of our community and a fun evening to help us raise the funds to support events such as Sunset Series, Tunes Around Town, and the Sculpture Trail. We\u2019re happy to host this year\u2019s auction at such a fun\u00a0community event and be a part of the Holly Jolly Holidays,\u201d said Wayne Andrews<\/strong>, Director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts\u00a0Council.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ice Skating Parties <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People wanting to host birthday, holiday, or corporate parties on the ice will now have their chance with two options.\u00a0 For general parties, guests can reserve a party tent and receive 20 skate passes for a two-hour time period. This rental will take place during the public ice-skating times, so while the ice will not be solely for the party-goers, the\u00a0private party tent equipped with tables and chairs, will be. Alternatively, private ice-skating parties will be offered\u00a0during non-operating hours where people can reserve the entire rink, along with the private tent for their own party.\u00a0 For more information and pricing, visit the website at visitoxfordms.com\/hollyjolly or call 662-232-2477.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community Market <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Oxford Community Market<\/strong> will maintain its current schedule throughout the installation and duration of Holly\u00a0 Jolly Holidays. Vendors will be set up at the Pavilion Tuesdays from 3\u20136:30 pm. Part of the proceeds from Tuesday ice\u00a0 skating will be donated to the Community Market\u2019s efforts in donating products bought from market vendors to\u00a0 various organizations in the local Oxford community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsors <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walk On\u2019s Sports Bistreaux<\/strong>, set to open in early December, is a gold sponsor while NE Sparc<\/strong>, Oxford Square North<\/strong>,\u00a0 and Specialty Orthopedic Group<\/strong> are all Silver sponsors of the 2nd annual Holly Jolly Holidays event.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on all holiday happenings, go to VisitOxfordMS.com\/hollyjolly<\/a> or follow along on social media\u00a0 @hollyjollyholidaysoxms.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Industrial Frigo Ice <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A worldwide leading company specializing in the production of cooling systems for a wide range of industries,\u00a0 Industrial Frigo Ice USA, Inc. was able to diversify into the ice and snow entertainment industry carrying out an\u00a0 extensive and customized variety of solutions. From 2019, Industrial Frigo Ice opened a new business branch in the\u00a0 United States, with offices and warehouses to meet the great demand of our ice-skating rinks and attractions made\u00a0 in Italy.\u00a0For media inquiries, contact Kinney Ferris at 662-232-2477 or kinney@visitoxfordms.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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