ARLINGTON – A few blocks of Olympic Avenue became a pedestrian-only zone and merchants stayed open extra late on Saturday night to give holiday shoppers a fun new way to buy local.

The Hometown Holiday Open House, a Small Business Saturday event, helped shoppers celebrate small business by enjoying the festive streets and decorated storefronts and browsing for the perfect Christmas gifts for family and friends.

Fire pits, s’more making, music, caroling, falling snow, mini-donuts and warm beverages gave visitors plenty to holiday-cheer about. Costumed figures, photo displays and a mobile drum corps added to the evening’s revelry.

The event was coordinated by the city’s Main Street Committee, including the Downtown Arlington Business Association and Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce. The hope is that the first-ever event will create a tradition to support hometown business that carries forward from the day after Black Friday to year-round.