x
Breaking News
More () »

Go 419 Must-do Rundown: Dec. 12-15

Homemade cookies not made in your home? Check. Reindeer? Dashing through the zoo? Check. Local beers? Check. Christmas Weed book? Check. The holidays are here!
Credit: WTOL
Where are the BEST holiday lights in the 419? Share so people can make the most of their Christmas light touring experiences!

TOLEDO, Ohio — Holiday markets, dueling cookie walks, dashing through the zoo, live reindeer and fireworks, local and regional brews, hard rocking bands and a bevy of authors - all of this and much more are among the things you can experience this weekend. Check out the must-do rundown to see what you can do to Go 419 this weekend: 

THURSDAY

New Hope Church Holiday Craft Fair | 2457 Holloway Road, Holland | 4-8 p.m. (Thursday and Friday)

New Hope Church's Holiday Craft Fair features 30 independent artists and vendors to bring you all sorts of unique gifts and holiday stocking stuffers.

You can check out a wide variety of hand-crafted items to choose from. The church says it also will have a few direct sales vendors, but they limited them to just a few of the most popular categories as we want most of your experience to be a more traditional craft fair with all sorts of handmade items you can't buy anywhere else.

Credit: Craft Fair

Holiday Music with Chloe & the Steel Strings | Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel | 5-7 p.m.

Enjoy the sounds of local musicians, Chloe & the Steel Strings, as they perform original songs and holiday favorites in the Studio Lounge. The lounge will be serving up some festive cocktails as well.  Keep the holiday joy going all night long with the Twelvetide Chef's Table Dinner in Brim House. 

FRIDAY

Christmas Cruise Thru in Hicksville (Dec. 1-24, 6-9 p.m.)

Defiance County Fairgrounds are filled with millions of lights through the entire month of December for the Christmas Cruise Thru. A freewill donation gets you in and on the weekends there are lots of events. This weekend features live reindeer, visits with Santa, carriage rides, and FIREWORKS on Sunday! The parking lot will close from 5:50-6:20 p.m. for the fireworks, so you are encouraged to arrive early. There will be no exiting the parking lot after the fireworks - everyone in the lot will proceed through the light show and exit gates will open after the fire chief gives the all clear signal. 

Credit: Cruise Thru

The Christmas Weed book author meet and greet | Christ UMC, 5757 Starr Ave., Oregon | 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Meet local authors Nick Rokicki and Joe Kelley as they share their newest children's book "The Christmas Weed," based on Toledo's own Christmas weed! There will be a family reading time, author meet and greet, book signing, and a writing and drawing workshop. Only 200 children's tickets available. Must have a ticket to attend, and they are available here. Tickets are $15. Limit to two free adult tickets per child admission ticket.

Marilyn Yakumithis Artist Discussion | Gathered Glassblowing Studio, 23 N. Huron St., Toledo | 6-8 p.m.

Gathered is hosting an artist talk and discussion with Marilyn Yakumithis as a part of its Featured Artist Series. Yakumithis will be discussing her body of wearable works, Remnants. Remnants is a collection of work influenced by ancient ruins and metalsmithing processes of antiquity filtered through a contemporary lens. 

Yakumithis will be discussing her residency at Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum in Athens, Greece, her recent transition back to the Toledo area, and how her travels and recent relocation have influenced her new works. After the artist talk, she will conduct a short demonstration of her fabrication process along with a short Q&A.

Naughty Elf Party | The Heights, downtown Toledo | 7-11 p.m.

Santa's not the only one up on the rooftop this holiday season. The Heights invites you to join them for their holiday party. They'll feature holiday drink specials, $5 White Cosmos, $5 Dirty Martinis, a DJ, and Selfie Screen for all your holiday photo fun. Wear your best ugly Christmas sweater, elf costume, and Santa hats, and celebrate!

Credit: The Heights

Toledo Night (Holiday) Market | The Stables, 11781 Obee Road, Whitehouse | 4-9 p.m.

Shop, sip, and help a great cause for kids Friday night at Thte Stables in Whitehouse. You'll enjoy twinkly lights and holiday market nights at the beautiful market with holiday festivities for everyone. Artisans, one-of-a-kind gifts, yummy treats and music will fill The Stables for the perfect holiday experience. Grab a craft drink or create your own hot cocoa from the complimentary hot chocolate bar to keep you warm while you shop. And you can put a bow on it at the gift wrapping station. 

This holiday market is indoors, with free parking and is on rain or shine. Admission is $1 (cash please).  

No worries about dinner - hungry shoppers can grab a bite from Deet's BBQ food truck or Manny's Munchies, and enjoy a Patron Saints Brewery craft drink.

Wheeler Farms Christmas tree season will also be in full swing until 5 p.m. so you can grab your tree and then head over to the holiday market and grab your gifts. 

If you are still looking to support a cause this holiday season then come out and join us at the Holiday Night Market and help us reach the goal to send 25 deserving kids to Metroparks Connections Camp by purchasing your #419communityconnections T-shirt. Wear it to the market for a chance to win prizes and more! Follow the link for all the details.

Credit: 419 Community Connections

Thunderstruck: America's AC/DC | Civic Music Hall, 135 S. Byrne Road | 7 p.m.

Innovation Concerts presents a night of rock and tributes with Thunderstruck - America's AC/DC, RMO and JUMP! America's Ultimate Van Halen Experience. This show is open to all ages.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of show, and $21 for those under 21 without ticket. Advance four packs are available for $55.

Credit: Innovation

SATURDAY

Cookie Walks! | St. Mark Lutheran Church - ELCA, 611 Woodville Road, Toledo | 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

AND St. George Orthodox Cathedral | 738 Glenwood Road, Rossford | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Is your love for cookies greater than your love for baking? No worries - St.Mark Lutheran Church and St. George Orthodox Cathedral have the answer for you! The annual Cookie Walks at the two churches let you pick out those perfect homemade cookies that weren't made in your home. (Shh, we won't tell anyone you didn't labor over the oven for hours.)

Credit: St. Mark

At St. Mark, fill your $5, $9, or $12 boxes by making your selections from the hundreds of cookies displayed. Cheese balls are also offered in four flavors - Cheddar, Swiss, Chocolate Chip and Bleu Cheese for $6 each. 

Credit: St. George

At St. George, the St. Anna Ladies Guild is celebrating its 16th annual Holiday Cookie Sale. You can choose from holiday cookies, kolachi rolls, kolachi cookies, decorated cookies and specialty items. Or don't choose - just get them all. 

Jingle Bell Run to benefit Arthritis Foundation | Shops at Fallen Timbers | 8 a.m. start

The Writer’s Block Author Fair | Franklin  Park Mall | 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Writer's Block Author Fair 2019 at Franklin Park Mall will have over 30 regional authors in attendance to meet with and, and you can get a book signed as well! You can browse children's books, mysteries, fantasy, sci-fi, young adult (YA), horror, romance, self-help and much more. And don't forget, books make great cozy presents for the holidays. 

Toledo Ballet's Nutcracker | Stranahan Theater | 2 p.m and 7 p.m. shows

Toledo Ballet's Nutcracker comes to life with exquisite dancing, breathtaking scenery, and Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

When midnight strikes on a chilly, frost-dusted Christmas Eve, Clara and her enchanted Nutcracker Prince are whisked away to a magical world of toy soldiers, mice, dancing snowflakes, and a Sugar Plum Fairy in the dazzling Land of Sweets.

Join the ballet again or start a new holiday tradition with your loved ones. From the first sounds of the symphony tuning up to the dancers' grand finale, Toledo Ballet’s 79th Annual The Nutcracker is an experience you won’t soon forget! Tickets range from $34-$50 and are available online here

Credit: Toledo Ballet

Winter Brewfest | Fifth Third Field, downtown Toledo | 5-10 p.m.

Grab your friends and pretzel necklaces.  Winter Brewfest, the coolest outdoor event of the season is back for its sixth year at Fifth Third Field AND this year it is ringing in the holiday cheer. Winter Brewfest will showcase pours from more than 50 breweries from around the country.  

Fifth Third Field’s unique setting adds an element of fun for beer beginners and enthusiasts to sample the liquid offerings from the more than 250 craft beers and ciders.  Rounding out the Winter Brewfest experience is music, food and a souvenir sample cup.

Credit: Brewfest

Winter Brewfest VIP tickets are $60, general admission tickets $35 in advance and $45 the day of the event. General admission designated driver tickets are available for $25 and include an all-you-can-eat buffet in the BirdCage.   NOTE:  VIP tickets are limited and WILL sellout in advance of the event.

VIP tickets are $60. What you get:

EARLY ENTRY:  4 p.m.

  • 20 taste tickets, each good for a 3-ounce beer sample
  • VIP beer sampling in the Lexus BirdCage Club and The Roost from 4 to 7 p.m.
  • Access to exclusive, limited and rare craft beer in the VIP area.  
  • Access to the more than 250 craft beers on the concourse.
  • All-you-can-eat buffet
  • Live music in multiple VIP spaces 
  • All-Access pass to the VIP spaces, general admission areas and on field tasting opportunities

General admission tickets are $35 in advance/$45 event day. What you get:

  • 15 taste tickets, each good for a 3-ounce beer sample
  • Winter Brewfest souvenir sample cup
  • Access to on-field tasting stations
  • Food and additional taste tickets will be available for purchase on main concourse

Call 419-725-4367 or order online at www.hensvilletoledo.com and click here to see the list of participating breweries. 


SUNDAY

Polar Paws and Santa Claws 5K race and walk | Toledo Zoo | registration 1:30 p.m.; Kids Cub Run 3 pm.; 5K run 4 p.m.

You can go dashing through the Toledo Zoo and catch the Lights Before Christmas on Dec. 15 during the Polar Paws and Santa Claws 5K race and walk. 

The 4 p.m. event takes participants through the zoo and surrounding neighborhoods with a finish in the zoo‘s Main Plaza. Kids can also take part in the untimed Kids' Cub Run at 3 p.m.

5K PRICE:  $45 from Nov. 18-Dec. 15. Prices include race and admission to Lights Before Christmas presented by KeyBank. 

KIDS’ CUB RUN: 3 p.m.
AGES: 0-4, 5-8, 9-12, races will not be timed and all participants receive finisher ribbon and ice slide pass.
ROUTE: Completely within zoo
PRICE: $15 through Dec. 15

Credit: Toledo Zoo

Participants will have free parking in the Anthony Wayne Trail lot.

Spectators will receive the following discounted admission rates to Lights Before Christmas:

  • Adult spectator/chaperone fee: $10 (ages 12 and up)
  • Child spectator fee $7 (ages 2-11)

Spectators must enter the Zoo by 4 p.m. or full Lights Before Christmas admission applies.

RELATED: REGISTER | Go dashing through the Zoo during the Polar Paws and Santa Claws 5K

RELATED: See mini horses, donkeys during Lights Before Christmas

Toledo Ballet's Nutcracker | Stranahan Theater | 2 p.m 

Toledo Ballet's Nutcracker comes to life with exquisite dancing, breathtaking scenery, and Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

When midnight strikes on a chilly, frost-dusted Christmas Eve, Clara and her enchanted Nutcracker Prince are whisked away to a magical world of toy soldiers, mice, dancing snowflakes, and a Sugar Plum Fairy in the dazzling Land of Sweets.

Join the ballet again or start a new holiday tradition with your loved ones. From the first sounds of the symphony tuning up to the dancers' grand finale, Toledo Ballet’s 79th Annual The Nutcracker is an experience you won’t soon forget! Tickets range from $34-$50 and are available online here

Christmas Cruise Thru in Hicksville (Dec. 1-24, 6-9 p.m.) | Defiance County Fairgrounds | Fireworks Sunday

Defiance County Fairgrounds are filled with millions of lights through the entire month of December for the Christmas Cruise Thru. A freewill donation gets you in and on the weekends there are lots of events. This weekend features live reindeer, visits with Santa, carriage rides, and FIREWORKS on Sunday! The parking lot will close from 5:50-6:20 p.m. for the fireworks, so you are encouraged to arrive early. There will be no exiting the parking lot after the fireworks - everyone in the lot will proceed through the light show and exit gates will open after the fire chief gives the all clear signal. 

Credit: Cruise Thru

Before You Leave, Check This Out