No plans this Friday evening? - Come to Holiday on 44th in Camden! (home, purchase)

[JenLee]

I was hoping that there would be some signs and banners along 44th Ave. today when I went to work so my co-workers wouldn't think I'd dreamt it up; however, there wasn't a single sign that would tempt someone driving through the neighborhood to stop and join in.

That particular neighborhood has had banners up for craft shows, block parties, and several other neighborhood events since I've started working there. It's a shame that this hasn't had the same kind of hype. I AM looking forward to checking this out too (and to those of you who are afraid of North MPLS, I'm an older Boomer white woman who lives in a nice quiet northern St. Paul suburb).

[Cruz Azul Guy]

It is going to be pretty cold to be hanging out outside today.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Slig

It is going to be pretty cold to be hanging out outside today.

Whoa Slig, let's not get un-Minnesotan here by complaining about being outside in cold weather. And that's what all the fire pits/ hot cider/ hot cocoa (and indoor activities) are for - the longest time outside is either walking around 44th/ Penn for a while or taking a hayride from there to Loring or Henry (not that long of rides). If all else, one could just come out to go out to eat and still feel like part of the festival.

JenLee - I'll make a note to mention this to neighborhood assn/ committee for next year's event, and my wife grew up on a farm/ very rural town and has always felt very safe here - she actually thinks the neighborhood reminds her a lot of her small town's community and the events they put on.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

All I'm saying is that if it is anything like it was yesterday evening, I'll be able to stay outside max 5 minutes. My God it was cold.

[randomrun]

It'd be very nice to see some signs, or even a flyer under the front door, or something! If I didn't read this board, I would never have known about the festival. But I will definitely be coming tonight...see ya there!

[JenLee]

What a great celebration! I took a hay ride from Loring to Patrick Henry school and back again; I *think* those were Percheron horses pulling that huge wagon! They were huge horses, and I bet there were 40-50 people on that wagon. Lots of Christmas Caroling, lots of people out walking in the streets and just a great neighborhood party.

The fire pits were great, but it didn't seem too cold while I was out there (maybe an hour or so). However, now that I've driven home and am inside; I'm freezing inside and can't warm up!

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Yeah we went so I may have walked right by a few of you without even knowing it. Here were some of my observations of the neighborhood and event:

-the area drastically improves once you get on the north side of Dowling, we parked on 45th and Newton and I was impressed with small, well-kept houses that lined the streets.
-the event was pretty small but it was nice to see so many people hanging out in winter weather.
-I think that was my first time eating roasted chestnuts, they weren't half bad.
-is it just me or does 44th st have an abundance of barber shops? I swear I saw 4 of them in a 3 block stretch
-that's about it, we ended the evening by making snow angels on the south end of 44th and Newton just on the other side of the roadblock. Winter just isn't winter without making snow angels.

[JenLee]

Sounds like you were on the opposite end of 44th from me; I was mainly on the Upton-Penn-area, Slig (except for the hayride, which I took round trip to Patrick Henry and back to Charles Loring Schools). I skipped the chestnuts; the crowd was fairly heavy and I didn't want to wait too long. Did you see/hear the brass band caroling group? I really enjoyed that!

[Cruz Azul Guy]

I unfortunately didn't see the brass band caroling group.

[Camden Northsider]

Glad you guys could make it out Jenlee and Slig. Slig, when I first got there I thought the turnout wasn't the best but after hitting the schools and seeing all the people on the hayrides, it wasn't too shabby considering that, to my knowledge, the only formal advertising was the Nov 28 edition of the Camden News which wasn't a lot of advance notice. Also, where you parked (45th & Newton) is the far-eastern border of the Victory neighborhood, there's actually a really interesting stretch of 50s-era housing in the 42nd/ 43rd block of Newton/ Oliver that I think are the tidiest rows of homes I've seen in the metro area (it's funny how you see 50s homes intermingling with the older housing stock around the neighborhood - we have this at the end of our block where previously there had been a catholic church's parking lot).

But as for the event itself - we ate at Emily's for dinner, mosied around 44th/ Penn a little and saw the show at the Warren, then hopped on the haywagon to Loring. We stopped in at the Doorway Massage on the way back to get our names in the raffle, and then went to Patrick Henry for the latter part of the event (we were the tear-down clean-up shift). Afterwards we finished off our night with some drinks at Sauced. My favorite parts of the event: the light snowfall was great; I really got a bang out of Loring School playing old-school Holiday music over their loudspeakers/ intercom, filling the neighborhood with music; and it's always awesome to hear Camden resident Peter Ostroushko perform (he was on the fiddle as the mystery guest at Henry High with a great guitarist) - I'd say this had to be the highlight for me but all-in-all we had a really great time!