Ice skating is coming to downtown Manteca this Friday and Saturday.

That’s when the Manteca Chamber of Commerce — the business organization Beattie oversees — is partnering with the city to give the community a gift: Christmas in the Park.

It’s a two-day Christmas celebration at Library Park in downtown Manteca on Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3 that includes:

uice skating.

ueight food vendors both days with craft booths and more on the Saturday.

ua Christmas tree/scene decorating contest.

ua rock band on that Friday playing rock classics along with Christmas favorites such as “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.”

ucarolers.

u“reindeer rides” from ponies decked out for the season.

ucontinuous entertainment that Saturday.

uthe chance to meet and have photos taken with the Disney princesses that Saturday.

The chamber is maxed out on food booths but there is still some space left for Saturday, Dec. 3, for commercial booths ($125), homemade crafts booths ($100) and non-profits ($75). 

Among the number of vendors already signed up is the Manteca Unified be.tech industrial arts program.

Manteca Avenue will be closed on Dec. 3 to accommodate vendors.

The ice skating rink is made possible with a refund the city received from the Fourth of July aerial fireworks show that was stopped when a mortar accident injured technicians. The chamber is hoping the response is good enough this year that it will allow them to bankroll the return of the ice skating rink for the 2017 holiday season.

There is also room still to enter the Christmas tree/scene decorating contest. The cost is $10 for a family tree, $20 for a commercial tree or scene, and $15 for a non-profit tree or scene.

Christmas in the Park festivities are Friday, Dec. 2, from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The chamber is also staging the 44th annual holiday parade on Saturday, Dec. 3, starting at 5 p.m. along Yosmeite Ave.

Those that enter by Nov. 28 will be judged. There is a $50 entry free.

The theme this year is a ‘Rock’well Christmas. The idea is to inspire people to either go with entries that reflect the Norman Rockwell sentimentality or a more modern “Rock Around the Christmas Tree” approach.

Entry forms for all of the activities are available at Manteca.org or by calling 823-6121.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com