Downtown Concord embraces each holiday season with glowing lights, wreathes adorning lamp posts, a giant spruce tree greeting visitors in front of the State House and merry melodies spreading cheer as people stroll down the sidewalks. 

If you’ve ever wondered where this chorus of carols comes from, it takes a little time and planning to pull off each year.

On Saturdays throughout December, speakers on buildings along Main Street play holiday tunes through the radio station 94.9 WHOM, which broadcasts from the top of Mount Washington. Businesses sponsor the music each year and the non-profit InTown Concord spearheads the musical immersion.

“It’s really an initiative to bring joy to downtown Concord during the shopping season,” said Berit Brown of Intown Concord. “It’s supposed to be encouraging you to get that Hallmark movie experience, to come down to downtown Concord – you’re on Main Street; you’re shopping; maybe you go get a cocoa, and you’re listening to the music. It just creates that atmosphere.”

For Pitchfork Records owner Michael Cohen, helping to sponsor the music feels like an integral part of celebrating the season.

“I think it’s important. It’s the holiday spirit,” he said. “It’s a joyful experience when you’re walking outside that you can hear music being played.”

The music will provide the backdrop for Midnight Merriment, a celebration slated to take over downtown this Friday evening with a Santa Claus meet and greet at City Plaza, a holiday gift market in Eagle Square, and, for the first time, a parade of holiday lights down Main Street. Stores will be open for people looking for holiday gifts, snacks, and warm drinks. In addition to the radio broadcast tunes, live musicians, such as the Concord High School’s Chamber Singers, the Concord Chorale Strolling Carolers, and Girl Scouts Carolers, will perform throughout the evening.

Music exemplifies Concord’s holiday spirit through community-oriented gatherings. Penacook Village brings its own holiday flair, with hot cocoa and carolers through its 19th annual tree lighting ceremony that took place Wednesday night. The ceremony featured performances by the Penacook Elementary School Chorus and Blanchard Family Singers. Santa arrived in style on a firetruck, with an escort by the Concord Fire Department.

Beyond spreading cheer through music and decorations, this time of the year provides an important boost in sales for local businesses, especially given the popularity of online shopping and its impact on stores.

Goldsmith Gallery owner Paula Heath encouraged people to shop local as they’re looking for gifts for loved ones. She noted the high quality of many vendors in the area and the personal experience customers get in stores.

“If you don’t support it, it goes away and it doesn’t come back,” Heath said. “Then you’ve lost that. You’ve lost being able to come in and feel what a sweater looks like or try on a piece of jewelry and see if it speaks to you.”

For Ray Boucher, who owns Britches of Concord, the weekly Saturday music, combined with business participation in Midnight Merriment, helps make downtown unique.

“They’re your neighbors, your friends,” he said of small business owners. “That’s what makes us special. It’s a great environment and a welcoming experience for everyone.”

Tressa Kosowicz, owner of Little River Oriental Rugs, said many of her customers come from outside of Concord and appreciate the robust downtown energy they find here.

“It’s nice to be able to have a downtown people can come to and enjoy rather than hit one store and head home,” Kosowicz said.

She and other merchants coordinated the purchase of holiday wreaths that the city then hung up along Main Street. Kosowicz loves seeing how people come together, especially at this time of year.

“There’s a lot of folks who are quick to step up and help, whether it’s through funding or whatever they can provide, even if it’s not something directly beneficial to their business but they like community involvement and getting involved for the betterment of downtown and doing whatever they can to facilitate that and make it a better place for local residents and tourists,” she added.

Midnight Merriment begins at 5 p.m. Friday and continues all through the evening until midnight. There will be music, crafts, shopping stalls, lights, and more.

“I love it. It’s my favorite. It sets the whole mood. It’s just like the old-fashioned days. People who come down here are so happy,” Heath added.

For a full list of attractions at Midnight Merriment, visit https://intownconcord.org/.

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com

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