Fifth Annual Lower Mills Holiday Stroll Set for Thursday

The fifth annual Lower Mills Holiday Stroll will take place on Thursday, November 15, from 5:30pm to 8:00 p.m. in Lower Mills in Dorchester and Milton Village. Over 40 businesses will stay open late offering live music, refreshments, special discounts, and/or displaying work from local artists.

From 5:30pm to 7:00pm at St. Gregory’s auditorium (Dorchester Avenue), strollers can receive a free reusable shopping tote, enjoy entertainment, and visit the several businesses on display, and enter the free raffle for an IPod, gift certificates and other prizes (winners to be announced the next day). At Carney Hospital, there will be live entertainment, activities for the kids, and hot chocolate, coffee and munchkins from Dunkin Donuts, and a free raffle. The gift shop will be open, featuring holiday gifts at a 20% discount.  

The Boston School of Music will have an open house, with students and instructors performing live, and refreshments.

At RTN Federal Credit Union (1205 Adams St.), Santa’s Village will be in full swing, offering pictures with Santa and goodies for the kids.  Across the street, Standish Village will be jumping with live music, champagne and appetizers.     

At The Baker Artists Lofts, strollers can view wonderful art from resident artists in their studios, and have their picture taken as La Belle Chocolatiere (the famous Walter Baker Chocolate trademark). Anthony Sammarco, local historian and author, will be signing his books “The Baker Chocolate Company: A Sweet History”, “Milton: A Compendium” and “Dorchester: A Compendium”.

On the Milton side, the Forbes House Museum will be giving free house tours with live music by a Milton High School string duo and refreshments. The Adams Building (60 Adams St.) will be bustling with activity at its many businesses, including Eclipse Salon, Galatea Fine Jewelry, Santosha Yoga and Daria Casinelli Acupuncture. At 88 Wharf Street, the restaurant will be giving out samplings from their new menu, and the Beth Israel Deaconess Healthcare office will be giving out flashlight keychains and hand sanitizer.

In Milton’s Central Avenue business district, Esprit Du Vin will be having a wine and cheese tasting, and The Plate will have homemade hot cocoa with marshmallow. At Home Elder Services, the new Flip Salon, Radio Coffee House and A New You Spa will stay open late with refreshments as well. The new restaurant, Steele and Rye (on Eliot Street, formerly Fallon Ambulance), is now open for business and will be giving out samples of the menu items.

There will be a free trolley running back and forth from the Milton and Dorchester sides, and free van service (handicap accessible) from Standish Village to the Central Avenue business area. Extra parking will be available at The Forbes House Museum at 215 Adams St. in Milton, and at CVS at 2235 Dorchester Avenue (across from St. Gregory’s auditorium) in Dorchester.  

The Stroll will be held rain or shine. Look for the balloons and maps at all participating sites. Coordinated by the Lower Mills Civic Association & Lower Mills Merchants Association. Sponsors include Carney Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Milton, Standish Village Assisted Living, Cedar Grove Gardens, Meetinghouse Bank, and Vargas & Vargas Insurance. For more information, go to the Merchants Association website at: www.lowermillsmerchants.com, or visit our Facebook page “Lower Mills Holiday Stroll”.

The above release was submitted by Lynda Watson.