Though the event is put on by the Historic Third Ward Association, sponsors, mainly Third Ward businesses, are needed to underwrite the event, according to Nancy O’Keefe, executive director of the association.

According to Jodi Gannaway, executive assistant for the association, the event attracts about 1,000 people each year and creates “homey feelings.” People participating in the event have an opportunity not only to mingle with each other, but to participate in a raffle, eat Christmas cookies and hear the Milwaukee Police Band carol away. Proceeds from the cookie sales will benefit Toys for Tots, while proceeds from the raffle will go towards the Historic Third Ward Association. A silent auction, in which bidders can purchase anything from art to dining certificates, will also serve to benefit Toys for Tots because “the thought of putting a big smile on a little face makes it well worth the while,” O’Keefe said.

According to O’Keefe, the event is well organized, yet very causal and comfortable. It begins with the St. John’s Military Cadets announcing the start of the ceremony. Criminals beware, because the police band is up next and then special guests, including Mayor John Norquist, will be welcomed. After the tree lighting, the Trinity Irish Dancers perform and then the indulgence starts.

Cookies, hot chocolate, shopping and more shopping. What more could a Milwaukeean want? According to O’Keefe, while munching children can get some shopping out of the way at the Secret Gift Shop, adults can go their own way and browse around the silent auction. And no Christmas party is complete without Santa. All the while, visitors can take carriage rides. Once the shopping extravaganza ends, visitors can catch their breath, or maybe have their breath taken away, by watching the Bartolotta Fireworks display.

It’s definitely a loaded evening, but O’Keefe promises that the event offers countless opportunities for fun while keeping with the spirit of giving, as it has been for the past 15 years.

Despite offering lots of activities, the highlight of the event is the tree lighting, according to O’Keefe.

“We do the old fashioned Christmas tree lights and we put all big red bows on and it is so neat because it just lights up our little park.” O’Keefe said. “It looks very regal.”

O’Keefe said that the tree is selected by the association according to a list of donated trees the city provides. It is then decorated by the association’s maintenance men for all the city to enjoy.

But preparing the tree is just one of the many things the organization goes through in preparing for the event. O’Keefe said that along with picking a tree, the association gathers sponsors for the event, gathers donations for the auction and finds a bakery to donate the cookies, among many other things. Despite the extensive preparations, O’Keefe said that it’s worth it because she’s “a total Christmas fanatic so I have fun doing this.”

Though O’Keefe has been with the Historic Third Ward Association for eight years, the event has been going on since 1988 and originally was started by retailers and businesses in the Third Ward to “promote their shops and restaurants as well as to have a holiday event for the neighborhood,” O’Keefe said. The event was much smaller because “15 years ago the neighborhood wasn’t as built up as it is now — it was more of a closer knit community,” O’Keefe said.

O’Keefe said that the neighborhood has grown extensively over the past 15 years and though the event is now on a much larger scale and continues to add new activities, the Historic Third Ward Association still does it for their “neighbors as well as to showcase (their) neighborhood, and just to offer a wonderful holiday to everyone.”

The 15th Annual Christmas in the Ward begins Friday at 5 p.m. and continues until 8 p.m. Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit www.historicthirdward.org or call 273-1173.