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Ian Adams
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If you would like to relive old holiday traditions and take a stroll down Akron’s memory lane, here is an event you won’t want to miss. For the first time, Akron2Akron Neighborhood Walking Tours is offering the Downtown Christmas History Walk and Trolley Tour to give locals a taste of the past. On Saturday, December 12 from 4-6 p.m., Joanna Wilson, author of the new book “The Story of Archie the Talking Snowman & Akron’s History of Christmas Attractions,” will host this special event and take participants back to a time when the windows of O’Neil’s and Polsky’s were filled with magical holiday displays and downtown Akron was bustling with Christmas shoppers.
“ I spent more than a year researching and writing about our downtown retail holiday attractions,” Wilson says. “The Downtown Christmas History Walk and Trolley Tour will reminisce about the glory days of our city’s past.”
On this outdoor walking tour, Wilson will discuss the history of retail holiday attractions in Akron, including downtown Akron’s two major department stores’ holiday window displays. As a special bonus, the tour will include a free trolley ride to Cornerstone Church at Portage Lakes to visit the life-size Nativity display that once decorated the downtown O’Neil’s marquee. There will also be an Akron2Akron after-party, which will benefit Akron’s Ronald McDonald House. “I’m most looking forward to standing in front of the Polsky Building and the former O’Neil’s storefront and sharing memories of the grandeur and tradition of the annual Christmas window displays,” says Wilson.
No stranger to Christmas, Wilson says that she spends most of her holidays promoting her latest book, “The Story of Archie the Talking Snowman & Akron’s History of Christmas Attractions.” “The book is filled with details about the magical, enchanting downtown Christmas window displays, the in-store attractions with fanciful Santa Land walk-through experiences, live clowns, organ grinders, TV celebrity appearances, holiday parades with giant balloons, puppet shows, and special events marking Santa Claus’ arrival at downtown stores,” says Wilson.
“ I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls and made many trips to visit Archie the Talking Snowman at Chapel Hill Mall in the early 1970s,” Wilson says. “Even if I was too shy and afraid to speak to the 20-foot talking giant, he made a lasting impression on me.” She adds, “When Archie was rebuilt in 2012 at Lock 3, I was amazed at the dedication of the organizers and impressed by their spirit of tradition.”
The holidays should fill us with nostalgia, conjuring up fond memories, but hectic preparations for the season sometimes makes us lose sight of what is really important. Wilson prefers taking a more laid-back approach to the holidays. “For me, Christmas day is about simplicity, relaxing with my family, and enjoying a special holiday meal. I look forward to it all year long.”
“ The Story of Archie the Talking Snowman & Akron’s History of Christmas Attractions” will be available at the Akron2Akron’s after-party, where Joanna Wilson will be selling signed copies. For more information on the Downtown Christmas History Walk and Trolley Tour, visit www.akron2akron.com.
