Old Town Holiday Stroll Honors Albuquerque Tradition With Added Surprises

November 15, 2022 - The City of Albuquerque's Department of Arts & Culture along with dozens of Old Town merchants are eager to welcome shoppers during the Old Town Holiday Stroll when it returns on Friday, Dec. 2 from 5-9 p.m. A beautifully decorated 30-foot-tall Sequoia replica with nearly 18,000 individual LED lights will make its debut at Plaza Don Luis, with the traditional countdown to the lighting beginning at 6 p.m.

This year's fire season overwhelmed certain regions of the state and damaged the tree farm supply. The City partnered with local company Red Shovel Landscape to create a reimagined experience for the tree lighting tradition. Other surprises are in store for strollers as they gather to kickoff the holiday season.

Holiday strollers can enjoy live entertainment from local musicians and dance groups throughout Old Town all evening. A number of restaurants in and around Old Town will offer holiday specials throughout the event. Holiday strollers will be treated to free admission to the Albuquerque Museum from 5 to 9 p.m. where they can enjoy a holiday-themed art project, music, touring the galleries, and shopping special discounts at the Museum Store.

Old Town Holiday Stroll is free to the public and is a rain or shine event. Streets throughout Old Town will close to traffic starting at 3 p.m.

The celebration will continue through the month with shopping specials and entertainment in the Gazebo, making Old Town the perfect place to shop local merchants and enjoy local performances.

The City and Old Town merchants have also partnered with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) who works on behalf of the American public to inspire personal and meaningful connections to our National Forests. By directly engaging Americans and leveraging private and public funding, the NFF leads forest conservation efforts and promotes responsible recreation. Each year the NFF restores fish and wildlife habitat, facilitates common ground, plants trees in areas affected by fires, and improves recreational opportunities. The NFF believes our National Forests and all they offer are an American treasure and are vital to the health of our communities. Learn more at nationalforests.org.   

Old Town Holiday Stroll is sponsored by iHeart Media and National Forest Foundation.