ZEELAND, Mich. — Downtown Zeeland will transform into a winter wonderland as the city hosts its annual “Feel the Zeel of Christmas” celebration, a two-day series of family-friendly holiday events set for Friday and Saturday.
Organized in partnership with Compassionate Heart Ministries this year, the festivities feature horse-drawn trolley rides, visits with Santa, extended shopping hours, in-store promotions and the city’s first-ever Gingerbread House Competition.
Three trolleys will line Main Street beginning at 4 p.m. each evening, picking up passengers at 140 E. Main St. for donation-only rides scheduled every 15 minutes, with the last ride departing at 7:50 p.m. Tickets are sold on site, first-come, first-served, and proceeds will benefit a local nonprofit.
Santa Claus will be available from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Drip Coffee, 150 E. Main St. Children can also drop letters into Santa’s mailbox located next to the Zeeland Splash Pad.
Downtown shops will stay open late and offer holiday deals, while visitors can vote for their favorite gingerbread creation in the city’s inaugural competition. Ten gingerbread houses will be on display at Adorned Home, Dekker’s Jewelry, Drip Coffee, Garenhuis, Gritzmaker, Lorna Lou, Main Street Bicycle Co., Out of the Box, Rachel Karhoff – State Farm Insurance, and StrEATS.
Voting runs through Dec. 31 via QR codes at each location, with one vote per person allowed.
