Murphys, CA…Murphys is excited to welcome everyone back to our annual Open House taking place on the first Friday in December in historic downtown Murphys from 5-8 pm. While we won’t have a parade this year, and there won’t be Santa photos inside the Native Sons Hall, there will be an abundance of holiday cheer. Our businesses will be open, the street will be closed, the firepits will be lit, and we’ll all be looking forward to seeing you. There will be live music at local businesses, folks singing on the street, and Santa will be visiting. This is the time of year when Murphys’ businesses thank our customers for their support throughout the year.

Stop by V Restaurant with a toy (or bicycle) to donate and meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, or just keep your eye out for a Santa sighting on the street. The donation of a bicycle at V Restaurant will earn you a gift certificate to be used at the restaurant. The Murphys Village Toy Store also hosts a Toys for Tots drop-off box and you can buy a toy right there and contribute to the box!

Climb the step to Boyle McDonald for live music on the rooftop or spend a little time around the firepits catching up with friends and neighbors. Or enjoy the music of Sequoia from 5-7 pm in the lobby at the Watering Hole on Big Trees Road.

The Murphys Irish Pub hosts live music every Friday night as well. They will have a food donation box at the pub for donations to The Resource Connection’s Food Bank and will be serving warm apple cider and cookies. Graham and Laura will be singing Christmas carols from 4-6 pm on the piano at the pub followed by Mario Flores’ live Latin Jazz band from 7-10pm.

Or maybe, join up with a group of friends and help serenade us on the street! Walk-in entertainment is welcome but please keep it family-friendly and be considerate of other entertainers. Missing the parade? Feel free to dress up, visit the firepits, and bring some joy to everybody who sees you.

The Murphys Creek Theatre will be presenting Every Christmas Story Ever Told…And Then Some at 7 pm and throughout the holiday season. Get here early to grab a parking space and visit Main Street before heading over to the play.

The Calaveras Winegrape Alliance Visitor Center will be open from 5-8 pm and will be kicking off their “Wine Country Weekend Getaway” contest so stop by and get all the details.

Stop by the Icebox (old Ice House near Black Sheep Winery) at the Arbors’ end of town and shop local artisans.

Pop in to Pop the Bubbly for live music with Scott Moughton from 4-7 pm with hot chocolate and cider, with appetizers and other drinks available to purchase, or grab a bottle of bubbly to go at a great price.

The fun continues on Saturday with more live music at the Irish Pub, another performance of Every Christmas Story Ever Told, a craft fair & holiday boutique at the Mountain Christian Fellowship, visits with Santa in Arnold at the Arnold Plaza, and the 25th Anniversary Celebration at the Ironstone Museum featuring appraisals by Holabird Americana on both Saturday & Sunday.

Thank you to the Murphys Firefighters Association who will be with us on Friday night with their popular sweatshirts for sale, the Calaveras Garden Club who will be near the Native Sons with holiday greenery for purchase, the Calaveras Sheriff Volunteers who help keep us safe, our Firepit sponsors, and all the volunteers who make these events possible.

Make sure to thank the Firepit Sponsors when you visit with them:

Cedar Creek Realty
Century 21 Sierra Properties Realty (they’ll be in front of the Stevenot Tasting Room for the evening)
Gateway Press
Gold Electric
Murphys Creek Theatre
Murphys Pourhouse
Newsome Harlow Winery

Want to make sure there’s a parade next year? Contact us at info@visitmurphys.com to put your name on a list of volunteers willing to help with organizing this event, the parade, and the management of street closures. Conditions allowing, we hope to be back with our beloved hometown parade next year and could use your help. Because our businesses need their employees during events (and employees are currently in short supply), we rely on volunteers from the community to help with our events, and it takes a surprising number of people to make it all happen. Given the current situation, our membership opted to play it safe this year, respect the concerns of many community members, and skip the parade but it was not for lack of interest on our part. Plan now to volunteer for Irish Day coming in March! We are working out the logistics right now and it will be good to know we will have plenty of volunteers on hand to help us make it all happen.

Event occurs on 12/03/2021 from 05:00 PM to 08:00 PM.