Festival Night to Feature a Lively Library

Wreaths, green garland and red ribbons have already appeared along Lexington Center, but the holiday season will really kick into high gear with the Festival Night this Friday.

Decorations, songs, Santa and other signs of the season will be on display Dec. 2 as local organizations and merchants do their part to conjure up some holiday spirit.

Strolling carolers, sales and a lighting ceremony are among the attractions along Massachusetts Avenue as the downtown business community stays open late for the Lexington Chamber of Commerce’s annual Holiday Festival Night.

The “holiday lighting ceremony” occurs in Depot Square at 6:30 p.m., but before and after there are plenty of other highlights, including the goings on across the street at  

Opening for a rare Friday evening, the library will offer refreshments, musical selections from the Lexington High School Madrigals, a silent auction and a Holiday Book Fair, a display and sale featuring several local indie authors, who will be on hand to talk about the books they’ve written.

“If people come in and want to use the library, then of course we’ll get them a book,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, librarian for public relations and programs. “But, on this night, we’re not being a library in the traditional sense so much as a community meeting center.”

Underwritten by the Cary Memorial Library Foundation, the library event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and will feature local authors Becca Chambers, Susan Marx, Jack Rochester and Leon White, as well as Deborah Swiss.

“Every year it’s expanding, getting bigger and more festive,” said Dickinson. “It’s very warm and welcoming and the community spirit is very evident in the building during this great community event to kick off the holiday season.”

A few other attractions:

-- The Lexington Symphony will host at Cary Hall at 4 and 8 p.m. For ticket information, visit the Lexington Symphony website.

-- At , LexFUN! Will sell luminary kits for the Dec. 4 Luminary Night and the Lexington Historical Society’s Colonial Singers will perform traditional holiday numbers. Children will be invited to make a holiday craft as cider and cookies are served, according to an event announcement.

-- Participating locations throughout the Center will stay open late and offer sales and/or promotional gifts and raffles throughout the evening.