Howdy Holly Days is back for the 4th year in a row! Come out to Northgate on Saturday, December 9th from 4PM – 8PM and enjoy shopping, music, activities for the kids, as well as food and entertainment from Northgate merchants and more!

Shopping:

Still need ideas for those on your list? Well, Howdy Holly Days has you covered! With 60+ vendors representing a wide variety of goods and products, you will be able to find something for everybody on your list, including yourself, when shopping in College Station.

While you’re out there, Aggieland Outfitters will be selling the 2023 Christmas in College Station ornament, but the ornament is also available for purchase at Aggieland Outfitters stores during the holidays. Visit College Station has partnered with Aggieland Outfitters for the past 3 years in designing and selling an ornament, and if you are looking to start your collection, we will be handing out the 2021 & 2022 ornaments at our Visit College Station table for those interested.

Now we know you are going to need something to put all those wonderful items that you plan to purchase, and you’ll be happy to know that Visit College Station has you covered! We will be handing out Howdy Holly Days shopping bags to the first 200 shoppers.

Entertainment and Activities for the Kids:

Howdy Holly Days is a family-friendly event where visitors and residents are able to see Northgate in a different light, so to speak. The Promenade is lit up with Christmas lights for the season, and attendees will be able to enjoy live music, as well as a bounce house, obstacle course, face painting and Christmas-themed balloon twisting for the kids. Capture great memories by taking photos with Santa, and in the giant inflatable snow globe. The forecast is also predicting a chance of snow during the event (artificial snow, that is), but you’ll be able to keep warm with a cup of free hot chocolate, sponsored by Amazon Prime Air, from the Painted Palomino Mobile Bar.

Food and Other Specials Around Northgate:

Establishments around Northgate are also participating in the event, offering great deals and activities for all attendees; kids and adults. Check out the list below for what you can find!

  • Dragonfly – Offering a discount on their Christmas-themed cocktail, and welcoming kids and adults into their establishment where they will have Christmas music playing and a light up dance floor that kids can enjoy.
  • Dry Bean Saloon – Will have cookies to decorate.
  • Rough Draught – Their Christmas themed pizzas will be on sale, and for $5, kids can make and design their own pizza that they will then cook.
  • Sugar Babies – Offering discounted candy purchases; and if you’ve never visited Sugar Babies on College Main, now is your chance! Their store is a unique, kid friendly place with toys, candy, Nintendo characters along the walls and Pac-Man on the floor.
  • The Backyard Bar & Grill – Will be featuring Christmas movies on their big screen, and offering free hot chocolate to kids, and $3 peppermint spiked hot chocolate and beer for adults.

And MOST importantly, Santa will be at the Dixie Chicken from 5PM – 7PM!

And how about a little fun and friendly competition during the holiday? - The College Station Police Department and Fire Department will go head-to-head in a Christmas Tree decorating competition! Attendees will be able to vote on which Christmas tree looks the best, and at the end for the event, whoever wins will be able to donate $1,000 to a charity of their choice. Thank you to the Farm Patch for donating the trees and to Ray of Hope for the donation.

Parking:

The Northgate surface parking lot will be closed, but there will be free parking at the Northgate parking garage for the event until 10PM.

Howdy Holly Days at Northgate is a great event that we look forward to all year long, so come out and shop, eat, listen to live Christmas music, partake in the activities happening all around Northgate and have some holiday fun! And don’t forget to come see us as the Visit College Station table, located on the Promenade, where we will be handing out shopping bags, maps and deals and information about the event, as well as those 2021 & 2022 Christmas ornaments and other freebee items!

HAPPY HOLLY-DAYS!

Casey Barone

Casey Barone

Events Coordinator