HELENA — Friday night the Queen City of the Rockies is illuminated with holiday spirit as the first lighting of Reeder’s Alley took place and the annual Parade of Lights returned.
Helena’s favorite brick alley is hosting a Christmas market all of December including Cotton Top Pastries and pop-up shops. Friday at 5:30 Reeder’s Alley began the lighting of downtown for the first time.
Many families were decked out in holiday gear and dressed in light-up attire to become a part of the parade. The Jacobs family shared their excitement for the Reeder's Alley lighting and market.
“You know we don’t come here often when we do it is always magical and I love that,” Jared Jacobs says.
The Reeder’s Alley Christmas Market is not the only thing to enjoy all month long, but also the Guardian of the Gulch and downtown Helena’s bright holiday display kicked off by the annual Parade of Lights thanks to this year’s host Ten Mile Creek Brewery.
Buildings and the Fire Tower are beaming but so were parade participants as they are the parade in this year’s event.
Floats covered in lights freckled the walking mall for people to visit as they holiday shopped. One of those displays was the Baxendale Volunteer Fire Department.
Baxendale Volunteer Matthew Hughes shared the goal of their display.
“Spread the holiday cheer, start off the holiday season right with plenty of lights and family, friends and community here,” Hughes says.
A large aspect of these holiday events is to invite the community to get in the festive spirit and to support local businesses.
“It means the world to our business to have all of these people come in some of whom we see regularly and some we don’t see so regularly. we have had people in here who have said they have not been in before or they are new to town, so it is a great way to introduce people to all the businesses downtown and all the fun we have going on," Amy Barrett, co-owner of Lasso the Moon says.
If you could not make it out for the lighting on Friday you can still enjoy holiday lights and shop at the Christmas market and downtown businesses all month long.
