A collaboration between Main Street Steamboat Springs, the Rotary Club of Steamboat Springs and Alpine Bank wil l bring a new holiday tradition to downtown Steamboat on Saturday.

A Very Steamboat Holiday Festival will take over Sixth Street, between Oak Street and Lincoln Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Wanting to combine holiday events of the past into one afternoon of holiday cheer, the event will feature visits with Santa, caroling, cookie decorating, ornament making and more.

Volunteers from 4-H and Routt County Fair Royalty will be on hand to assist with the crafts, and the Steamboat Springs High School Choir will sing carols along with Opera Steamboat. And, thanks to “karaoke caroling,” anyone can sing carols, choosing from a list of holiday favorites.

Holiday shopping can also be accomplished, with roughly 30 booths that will feature artisan goods from honey and jam to pies, baked goods and holiday gifts. Families can snag a free family photo from photographer Danielle Zimmerer who will be on hand, providing her annual gift of photography to the community. Santa will be set up in his study on the courthouse lawn waiting for visitors, and cookie decorating and ornament making will provide entertainment for children.

“It’s an event for the community,” said Lisa Larkin of Main Street Steamboat. “It’s something that we want to do to bring everyone together and have a good time.”

Betsy Wood, director of community outreach for Alpine Bank, said the main goal of the new event is to provide a way for the community to celebrate and come together during the holidays.

“All of the collaborating organizations are passionate about providing fun and seeing the community gather,” she said. “Additionally, it was very important to all of us to support the local businesses in this event and have local vendors for the market. We encourage everyone to stay downtown and support local retailers and restaurants after the event, too.”

From the Rotary Club’s perspective, president Mark Fitzgerald said that the organization was looking for a way to host a winter celebration as a way of giving back to the community. They had previously hosted an evening of tubing and hot chocolate at Howelsen Hill Ski Area, and when they heard that Main Street and Alpine Bank were partnering on this new idea, it was, he said, fortuitous timing.

“It’s a celebration,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve all been through a lot in the last few years. We want to provide an opportunity for people to get together safely and have fun.”

Sophie Dingle is a contributing writer for the Steamboat Pilot & Today. She can be reached through the editor.