Brighten Up Black Friday

NorthPark Center (8687 N. Central Expressway) opens bright and early, but not angry-alarm-clock early, at 9 a.m. Friday, and doesn’t close until 10 p.m. And to kick off the holidays with flair, you’ll want to gather for the parade at 10:30 a.m. Santa will be there, as will The Salvation Army Band, and a caroling cadre of 9-foot toy soldiers, Nutcracker favorites Clara and Sugar Plum Fairies, and more. Then watch as the group lights up The Salvation Army Angel Tree, kicking off the philanthropic side of the shopping season. Visit northparkcenter.com. Over at the Galleria (13350 Dallas Parkway), you can combine purchasing with stargazing as U.S. Olympic star Brian Boitano and Missile Toes, the pyrotechnic ice-skating Santa, join forces to light that mega-huge Macy’s tree. It’ll happen at noon Friday, and again at 5 p.m. on Saturday, and each Saturday in December until Christmas. Breakfast is served at The Parks in Arlington (Interstate 20 and Cooper, Arlington) at 8 a.m., so after powering through the first couple hours (it opens at 6 a.m.), grab some complimentary Chick-fil-A and Starbucks on the upper level near Abercrombie & Fitch. The grub will go fast, but not as quickly as the treasure-filled gift bags being handed out to the first 250 folks in the breakfast line. Visit theparksatarlington.com for coupons and Black Friday updates. Check out some local shopping action over at the Dallas Handmade Arts Market’s Post Thanksgiving Party from noon until 10 p.m. on Friday. In addition to finding great stuff created right here by talented Dallasites, the Market is doling out free beer, wine and cocktails to ease the shopping season’s stresses. You’ll even have a backing track for shop-dancing, with live music from noon to 5 p.m. and cool jams by DJ Dylan in the evening. The Dallas Handmade Arts Market is located at 327 Cole St. in Dallas. Visit dallashandmade.com.
Fri., Nov. 23, 2012