ALPENA ­– Santa will be in Downtown Alpena again this year to bring cheer to the whole community.

The jolly old man visited Alpena this weekend, and he will be back the next two weekends as well.

Hosted by the Downtown Development Authority and sponsored by Alpena Agency and Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, the hours for Visiting with Santa will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, with the same hours on the following Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17.

Santa’s house is set up for the season in Culligan Plaza right in front of the big Christmas tree.

“These will be fun weekends for kids and parents alike, as they can shop around our beautifully decorated downtown and stop by to visit Santa at the same time,” said Kady Gehrke, marketing and outreach coordinator for the Alpena DDA. “The holidays are always an amazing time in Downtown Alpena, and we are very excited to be able to host Santa yet again this year.”

The community loves all of the holiday decor that comes with the season in our town, and Santa and his house are just another part of that.

“The kids really enjoy being able to see Santa, and it works out well for the parents, especially if they are already downtown shopping,” Gehrke said. “We are very grateful this year for our volunteers from Alpena Agency and Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union who are planning to help out each weekend to make sure everyone has a wonderful time. We cannot wait to see you all this December to visit Santa and enjoy the holiday season with us!”

For more information on the dates and times of the Visit with Santa weekends, please visit the Downtown Alpena Facebook page or email downtownalpenami@gmail.com.