Downtown is ready to light up with Hospitality Night

Snow White and Cinderella will join Santa Claus in Laguna Beach’s annual Hospitality Night on Friday.

The event, a partnership between the city and Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, will usher in the holiday season and feature live musical entertainment, ice skating, carolers, hot chocolate and tamale sales.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m., with Santa scheduled to arrive in front of City Hall at 6 p.m. to light the pepper tree with Mayor Bob Whalen.

Ken Garcia and his band will open the evening on the main stage at Forest Avenue and Glenneyre Street, followed by The Live Oak Revue, while Laguna Beach’s only FM station, KX 93.5, will broadcast live.

Ice skating will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the U.S. Bank parking lot at 310 Glenneyre St., while various school choirs will perform throughout the night.

To accommodate pedestrian traffic in downtown, portions of Forest Avenue, Beach Street, Third Street and the Peppertree Parking Lot will be closed to vehicles prior to and during the event. Free public parking will be available at the Forest Avenue/Laguna Canyon lot and the Community & Susi Q Center at 308 Third. St.

Forest Avenue between Broadway and Third streets will be closed to all vehicles except city and Orange County Transportation Authority buses between 5:45 and 6:15 p.m.

The city will send courtesy traffic alert reminders via text message and email to subscribers beginning Friday afternoon. To subscribe to this free service, visit www.lagunabeachcity.net for more information.