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.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the 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.
