Washington Avenue in downtown Cedarburg spends each December perfecting its holiday charm. The historic stone buildings, dressed-up shop windows, and cafes slinging mochas are all festive in their own right. Add wreathes, twinkling lights and an adorable gingerbread house-inspired Santa’s Workshop (hosting visits with the busiest man of the season), and there’s positively magic in the air. Here’s how to spend a winter’s day – a mix of shopping, dining and exploring – in this National Historic District.
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
Aching for brunch or already jonesing for lunch? Plop down for unique eats (like bananas Foster waffles or a breakfast burger bagel) at PJ Piper Pancake House, a cozy, family-owned eatery. Once you’ve fueled up, it’s time to shop – by supporting boutiques selling wares made by local artists, such as Cedarburg Threads. The store owner sells soy candles in ceramic vessels crafted by her father, a master potter. Wintry scents range from Campfire Marshmallow to Iced Vanilla Woods.
Frannie’s Market is a general-store-ish specialty foods market that calls itself “a love letter to snacks, neighbors and small-town routines.” Here, you can have your pick of locally made cozy products like cinnamon-infused maple syrup from Wisconsin’s Northwoods or Bushel & Peck’s cherry-lavender jam, made by the Beloit company.
To feel like a kid again, or to buy a gift for the tyke in your life, Cedarburg Toy Co. is that old-fashioned kind of toy shop we all miss, with most items made in the U.S. They even have a not-just-for-kids section with Lava Lamps and paint-by-numbers sets.
When it’s time for a break, take it at Cedarburg Coffee Roastery, where a Mexican latte will recharge your battery. Another way to chill – quite literally – is to taste ice wine at Cold Country Vines & Wines’ tasting room, which opened earlier this year. Made from grapes harvested in Kewaunee during frigid outdoor temperatures, past the time they would normally be picked, ice wine is a luxury more often found in Germany and Canada.
Before heading back home, see what first-run film (7 p.m. daily and 3:30 p.m. weekends) is playing at Rivoli Theatre, a 1936 art deco theater with a black Carrara glass exterior. But first, stop in at Amy’s Candy Kitchen to score truffles or chocolate-covered caramel apples made to look like Frosty the Snowman. The open-concept kitchen is a chocolate lover’s dream for the no-cost aromas.
Festive Friday Eves at Cedar Creek Settlement
DEC. 5, 12, 19
The restored 1864 woolen mill offers live music, shopping, complimentary cider and cookies. 5-8 p.m.
Holiday Luminaries and Trolley Rides
DEC. 5, 12, 19
These free trolley rides make five hop-on, hop-off stops on Washington Avenue, the street brightened by hundreds of glowing lights. 5-8 p.m.
’Twas the Night Before Christmas at Cedarburg Art Museum
THROUGH DEC. 19
Walk through the period rooms, including the parlor with its 1898 Victorian-style Christmas tree, and meet live reindeer in the courtyard. Wed-Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun noon-4 p.m., and Festive Friday Eves 5:15-9 p.m.
Chanukah Walk
DEC. 17
Hosted by the Jewish Discovery Center and Chabad Mequon, the walk includes shopping, a scavenger hunt for dreidels, and a menorah lighting at the Interurban Bridge. 4 p.m.
