The opening of an annual Juneau holiday tradition could provide some refuge to shoppers exhausted by the craziness of Black Friday this weekend.
The Juneau Holiday Village opens its doors at 11 a.m. Friday, taking visitors on a tour through miniature holiday-themed neighborhoods. Individuals and businesses sponsor small villages and displays, open to the public for free. It’s located at the Alaska Shirt Company at 489 S. Franklin St. Attendees are encouraged to make charitable contributions to either the Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE) shelter, The Glory Hole Shelter, Meals on Wheels or the Southeast Alaska Food Bank.
The village will be open every weekend through the end of December. This Friday, it will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but for the most part, the village will be open on Fridays from 4-8 p.m. The village will then be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Samantha Adams, the coordinator of the village, said there will be a new community caroling event put on by Holiday Village volunteers this year during the night of Gallery Walk. As always, there will be free cookies, cocoa, coffee and cider for those who tour the village.
Clarification: An earlier version of this article did not state the Juneau Holiday Village’s location. It’s at the Alaska Shirt Company, at 489 S. Franklin St. The article has been updated to reflect this.