From left, Yuba City Council Members Wade Kirchner, Michael Pasquale and Toni Cole stand with Elicia Stewart, center, and Mayor Dave Shaw and vice mayor Marc Boomgaarden in front of a Yuba City Fire Department engine during the Christmas Stroll on Dec. 13 - prior to the city’s tree lighting.

 

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - The Christmas Stroll went off without a hitch Saturday night, drawing thousands to downtown Yuba City as Plumas Street filled with families, music and holiday cheer. Cameo Arrasmith, with the Downtown Business Association, said she gauged this year’s success by the early turnout at the Kids Corner during the start of the Dec. 13 event.

“Usually, things don’t really pick up until later in the evening, but right at 2 p.m. the families were out in full force here,” Arrasmith said. “Things have been pretty consistent throughout the day, and we’ll be finishing things off with another tree lighting shortly.”

Yuba City held its official tree lighting earlier this season during the ribbon cutting of the new Water Tower Plaza on Nov. 19. Still, many attendees were accustomed to the lighting being part of the annual stroll, and organizers saw no reason not to keep the tradition alive.

Jars of homemade jam from Mike’s Pantry are offered for sale during the Christmas Stroll on Dec. 13 along Plumas Street in Yuba City.

This year’s Kids Corner was set up at the north end of Plumas Street and featured a giant blue inflatable slide, bubble blowers and a small rideable train. Near Hart Plaza, a group of youth carolers sang holiday songs as vendors hawked wares and offered free samples.

One standout vendor was BB’s Bees, offering local honey and bee-removal services. Owner Bob Boucke — known simply as “BB” — happily handed out free tastes, with honey sticks and bear-shaped bottles proving especially popular. Boucke keeps his bees in south Yuba City near his home, where he runs the bulk of his “bee-zi-ness.”

Mike’s Pantry also turned heads with its sweet-and-spicy homemade jam made from prickly pear and cayenne.

“I didn’t know you could make jelly with cactus at first, but now it’s become my business,” owner Mike Smith said with a laugh.

Children browse toys at a vendor booth during the Christmas Stroll on Dec. 13 in downtown Yuba City.

Smith, a Midwest transplant who originally came to California through military service, now enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and attending street fairs such as the Christmas Stroll.

While food vendors were busy throughout the evening, one of the most crowded booths belonged to Twin Acres Homestead, which offered an array of “good for nature, good for you” products. Shoppers sampled tallow lotions, essential oils and other skin-care items, along with a popular $25 gift set.

Farther south, live music filled the streets. Sopa Thai hosted a small acoustic set on its covered patio, while Christmas-themed rock bands played in the parking lot outside the Art Center. Another stage near Center Street drew a steady crowd, and some strollers even caught a glimpse of a pop-up concert by the Shady Creek Band, led by “Yeti.” Hooligans Bar & Bistro capped off the night with a variety of outdoor performances that appeared to draw the largest crowd.

“I hadn’t really seen any of these bands before but I was really impressed,” said Vince Friese of Yuba City. “I also didn’t know we had guitar repair services here too which is really cool” he added in reference to the neighboring business E&J’s Music Lounge.

Yeti, center, leads the Shady Creek Band during a pop-up concert along Plumas Street as part of the Christmas Stroll on Dec. 13 in Yuba City.

Cornhole enthusiasts also got a chance to enjoy some friendly competition outside Sutter Buttes Brewing, with games led by Together We Throw. Around 7 p.m., Yuba City firefighters drove a firetruck down Plumas Street with Mayor Dave Shaw, members of the City Council and other local officials on board. The truck stopped at the new Yuba City Water Tower Plaza for another tree lighting, bringing the evening — and another successful Christmas Stroll — to a festive close.