Riviera Village to Kick Off Holiday Season

Shops along Catalina Avenue and Avenue I in Riviera Village will welcome the holiday season Thursday night with its annual Holiday Stroll.

Many of the village stores will stay open late during the event, which starts at 5 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m., allowing shoppers to peruse a wide variety of merchandise. Visitors can even take a horse-drawn carriage ride along Catalina Avenue.

Last year, local business owners told Patch that the Stroll "brings everybody out."

"It's everybody having fun; it kicks off Christmas," said Monogram owner Karyen La Rue. "This is kind of give-back from the city."

While the original holiday stroll, which started about 20 years ago, paired each local shop with a restaurant, now "it's more about people coming in … looking to see what we have, getting together with friends," said Susan GIlbert, who has owned clothing store Jonathan on Catalina Avenue for more than 40 years.

The annual holiday parade featuring local bands will step off at 6 p.m.