Santa Arrives At New Home During RDP’s Holiday Stroll

Text, Photos and Video
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — Santa not only got a friendly welcome from area residents Friday night, Dec. 6, in Rochester, but also a new home.

Santa arrived as part of activities during the Rochester Downtown Partnership’s Holiday Stroll. After coming in on a wagon during a short parade which also featured Rochester Community Schools’ band and color guard students and several Rochester Fire Department trucks, Santa was welcomed by Rochester Mayor Trent Odell to his house.

The structure was built by Rochester High School students in teacher Logan Young’s civil construction class.

Aside from watching the parade and visiting with Santa, people Friday also could see a reindeer, grab free hot chocolate and hot dogs, decorate cookies and more, with area groups and businesses sponsoring different activities.

RDP Executive Director Julie Shambarger called having the annual event again “wonderful.”

She also said “it’s wonderful that we empowered kids to design a house.”

: Santa greets kids as he arrives during the Rochester Downtown Partnership’s Holiday Stroll on Friday, Dec. 6, in Rochester.

: Santa poses with Whitleigh Wiler in his home at Centennial Park in Rochester.

: A look at Santa’s house, which was built this year by Rochester High School students.

: Rochester Community Schools’ band students were part of the parade towards the beginning of the Holiday Stroll.

: Santa arrives in the parade aboard a wagon.

: Rochester Mayor Trent Odell, right, welcomes Santa to Rochester.

: Odell, left, poses with Santa inside Santa’s home.

: Wilson’s Tow & Transport served free hot dogs to people during the Holiday Stroll. Here Wilson’s employee Randy Jones, left, gives a hot dog to Kayla Honeycutt, center, and Harlee Honeycutt, in the pink coat.

: The Zehner family poses with a reindeer during the Holiday Stroll. In the back are Joshua Zehner, left, and Candace Zehner. In the front are from left Malcolm Zehner, David Zehner and Hadley Zehner.