The Christmas season kicks off in high gear Saturday with Shop the Walk and the annual Christmas Tree Walk & Arts Festival.

Shop the Walk, featuring several downtown Solon businesses, starts at 9:00 a.m. and runs until 1:00 p.m. with specials and bargains galore for holiday shoppers while providing an opportunity to shop locally and support local businesses.

The Christmas Tree Walk & Arts Festival starts at 10:00 a.m. at the Solon United Methodist Church’s Family Life Center. In addition to the specially-decorated trees (with pun trees and a scavenger hunt for all ages), area arts and crafts vendors will be on-site along with a bake sale. Homemade soup, sandwiches, pies, and more will be offered by Methodist Church volunteers with takeout available.

Santa Claus will arrive at 12:30 p.m. to visit with young and old alike before returning to the North Pole at 2:30 p.m. The Tree Walk is one of several visits to Solon by Mr. and Mrs. Claus this season. See inside for a detailed list of Santa visits and other holiday events.