Holiday Open House brings Santa to the square in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE - Downtown Gainesville was 'algow' once more Thursday night as downtown merchants celebrated the arrival of Yuletide on the Square.

The Eighth Annual Downtown Holiday Open House featured 40 retailers and restaurants, showcasing their best to attract holiday buyers for the Christmas shopping Season.

New Restaurant owner Scott Dixon opened his doors to visitors and announced that 'Scott's On the Square' will be receiving patrons with upscale casual American fine dining beginning December 10th.

"This is the greatest thing, the more people we can get down to the square and enjoy the atmosphere the better," Dixon said.

Santa made his first arrival in Gainesville, inviting the young and young at heart to climb aboard with him on a turn of the century style horse and carriage ride.

Saint Nick said the chilly weather was just right.

"Actually its like being at the North Pole, it's very nice, the wind's blowing as we ride around in the carriage," he said.

Santa added that the horse was really a reindeer in a horse costume and the carriage was actually a sleigh fitted with wheels because there was no snow to slide on.

Charles J. Clark the Third and his wife Kay moved to Gainesville from Tampa, Florida and said the weather was not quite so chilly in their former hometown as they waited for a carriage ride.

Main Street Director Joe Burnett said the merchants want everyone to enjoy downtown at its best, at Christmas time when it's decorated.

"Our businesses want to showcase our community's downtown for the residents," Burnett said.

Burnett said in two weeks the downtown merchants will start 'Downtown by Candle light' with the horse and carriage and Santa on the Square; the stores will be open for evening shoppers on the Thursdays before Christmas.