The Manteca Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas fair is taking place on the southwest corner of The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley.
Dubbed “Christmas in the Promenade”, it will take place Friday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
It will include food trucks, Christmas tree competitions, children’s activities, petting zoo, pony rides, pictures with Santa, carnival rides as well as craft and gift vendors.
Chamber Executive Director Joann Beattie said the venue taking place in the parking lot near the corner of Atherton Drive and Union Road will have temporary perimeter fencing. That will allow the chamber to have all appropriate COVID-19 safety protocols in place. They run the gamut from touchless temperature checks prior to entry, mandatory face masks, social distancing, and to cap the ceiling on the number of people within the fenced off fair area at any given time.
Beattie said Fun & Games will employ the required COVID-19 protocols for their various rides.
Deadline for December 12
parade is this Monday
The Manteca Chamber of Commerce has found a way the twilight Christmas parade can take place to allow those watching to comply with social distancing guidelines required by the COVID-19 pandemic by moving it to The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley.
The parade taking place Saturday, Dec. 12, starting at 5 p.m., will use Perimeter Drive that encircles the shopping complex anchored by Bass Pro Shops.
The route, which is a bit longer than the traditional four-block route on Yosemite Avenue through downtown Manteca, is on Perimeter Drive that encircles the shopping complex. The route is being configured for social distancing.
People also would be able to watch the parade from their vehicles if they so wish.
The chamber originally looked at a “static” parade with entries lined up along the edge of Woodward Park for spectators to view as they drove by in vehicles. That was deemed problematic due to traffic issues such a static parade would create.
The parade is breaking with another longstanding tradition by taking place the second Saturday in December instead of the first.
That will allow the chamber to separate the community’s biggest holiday events — the Christmas parade and Christmas in the Park. The latter is also being moved to the shopping center at Union Road and Atherton Drive and rechristened Christmas at the Promenade.
The entry fee is $50 for the parade themed “Home for the Holidays”.
The deadline for entries is Dec. 1. The entry form can be found at the chamber’s website at manteca.org.
Information on the parade or fair event can be obtained by contacting Beattie at 209-823-6121 or emailing joann@manteca.org. Entry forms for the parade and Christmas in the Park can be downloaded from the chamber’s website at manteca.org.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
