The event, which ran from 5 to 7 p.m., was sponsored by the Gladstone Downtown Development Authority and DTE Energy. Community members could enjoy trailer rides, free cookies and hot chocolate, an expanded tree lighting ceremony and more.

For the first time in the event’s history, Santa made his grand entrance to the event in a horse and carriage. Children held bells to ring during the tree lighting just after 5 p.m. Both were new additions introduced by Samantha Gaudino, Gladstone DDA ambassador and this year’s event coordinator.

While Gaudino has spent the past year working with the city’s businesses, this was her first year coordinating Gladstone’s Old Fashioned Christmas.

“The City of Gladstone is really a gem of a place to be during the Christmas season, and the businesses are truly incredible to work with. They are all eager to bring magic to our community,” Gaudino said.

Gladstone's Old Fashioned Christmas on Friday evening featured free hot chocolate and cookies, trailer rides and more. The event began with the official tree lighting just after 5 p.m. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

The event’s indoor Christmas Market – another addition by Gaudino – attracted many shoppers Friday. The market was hosted inside the city’s old fire garage at City Hall, across from the city’s Christmas tree.

Gaudino, who oversees the weekly farmers market in the summer and Gladstone’s Downtown Day in September, brought a new vision to the event, adding an indoor Christmas Market, a modified route for the trailer rides and even a new Window Decorating Contest for downtown businesses.

“One thing I knew I wanted was to get the downtown to feel more festive, so this year I asked the DDA to host a Window Decorating Contest the night of the event. Some of the concepts I’ve heard are really special, and I think families will enjoy getting to check them all out and vote on their favorites.”

She said some of the inspiration for this year’s event “came from my own childhood experiences of attending the event, having grown up in Gladstone. I knew I wanted to bring nostalgia and magic back for not only the children, but for the adults, too.”

Gaudino added, “It helps that I’m a mom, as well, so I could tap into what the event could look like through their eyes. After all, what is truly special about tradition is that it can be shared generationally.”

Gladstone's Old Fashioned Christmas on Friday included a new Christmas Market for those attending the event. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

Melissa Neuens, an art teacher from Cameron Elementary, also partnered with Gaudino to have students create their own ornaments for the city’s Christmas tree.