For anyone who hasn’t yet discovered Downtown Arlington, December is a great time to get acquainted with all that awaits during the Christmas Season. And – be prepared – a great deal awaits.
Let’s begin with something that everyone loves during this time of the year: music!
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The Arlington Music Hall on Center Street is featuring, on various dates and times, Molly Hatchet O/A Flatline Road, Blue Christmas starring Al Joslin, Ricky and the Redstreaks, Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas, and An Evening with Larry, Steve and Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers. Go to the Downtown Arlington Management Corporation’s website, downtownarlington.org, and check the Events tab for specific dates and times.
Then, over at Theatre Arlington at the corner of West and Main Streets, you will find the theatre’s Musical Revue Holiday Party. At this writing the schedule was planned for Dec. 4-12 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Check theatrearlington.org for updates.
Of course, there’s eating and drinking opportunities at 45 locations in the Downtown district. Ranging from locally brewed coffees and craft beers to start-up cafes to long-time favorites, the culinary scene is widely acclaimed and growing.
That website to which I keep referring describes the food and drink destinations like this:
“Driven by home-grown talent with a passion for innovation, our chefs and mixologists are keeping even the most devout foodies on their toes. Looking for international flavors? We have choices that come straight from old family recipes, as well as classically trained chefs.
“Prefer local flavors? Our barbeque will bring your dad to tears, and our Tex-Mex is always served with a twist. If you prefer lighter fare, you won’t have to compromise on taste. If you prefer dining al fresco, there’s plenty of dog-friendly patios around every corner.”
For those who prefer, many of the eateries have fully mastered the practice of curb-side service and pickup of phoned-in orders, and all of them are practicing distancing and spacing inside their establishments and policies of masking up until your order arrives.
Click the Visit tab on the downtownarlington.org website, scroll down to Downtown Delivers and find everything you need to see who’s currently offering to-go ordering, curbside pick-up, delivery and quickly access their information, direction, and social media platforms.
All of the above can be reached from a walk along the brand-new Abram Street in the center of the city. It’s only a mile between Cooper and Collins and specifically designed as pedestrian friendly with abundant streetscaping, lighting, benches, banners and more, creating an inviting atmosphere for everyone.
Along the way you will also encounter an abundance of public art on display, including some 20 murals painted by local artisans, sculptures (including the big DREAM monument) and the ever-popular Your Way mirror labyrinth made of highly polished stainless steel and aluminum by Danish artist Jeppe Hein located in the Downtown Library Courtyard.
Downtown Arlington President/CEO Maggie Campbell shared one of her own experiences: “I’m accustomed to seeing families with dogs, kids and babies in strollers, even twins. But, you can sometimes see something unexpected. One couple had not just one or two babies in a stroller, but four of them!”
There’s lots more and now discoverable amid all the trimmings of Christmas. So, for one last time, head over to the downtownarlington.org website, plan your visit and realize that you should make your way to the center of the city multiple times during the season.
