Late Night Shopping events being planned

By Terry Askew, Events Committee

The Clarendon Events Committee is busy finalizing plans for the upcoming holiday season.

The committee consists of people from many organizations including the Merchants Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts, AgriLife Extension Service, the Ministerial Alliance, Friends of the Library, Downtown Ministry Center, the City of Clarendon, and other interested individuals.

Plans are well underway for the annual lighting of the Courthouse. A chairperson has been selected to oversee the decorations, which will be different this year.

 Donations are always welcome to assist with the expense of the new decorations, which will be put up Saturday, November 22, at 8 a.m. anyone who wants to help is welcome.

The Courthouse lighting will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, and the program is being provided by the Ministerial Alliance. The local churches are being asked to provide actors for a brief but poignant living Nativity.

The first night of Late Night Shopping will be Thursday, December 4. Refreshments will be provided at the Girl Scout Office from 6 to 7 p.m. Arrangements are still being worked out for entertainment that evening. Merchants will encourage customers to sign up all day for the wheel of fortune. The wheel will be different this year with bells being rung at random times to call people together to spin. A name will be pulled out; and if the person is present, they can spin.

The wheel returns the next week on December 11 along with a Chili Challenge Cookoff for adults and kids. Mrs. Boone’s fourth and fifth grade kids will entertain with Christmas music, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the city library for photos. Refreshments will be in the Downtown Ministry Center.

Santa, the wheel, more live entertainment, and more refreshments will be back on December 18 to wrap up Late Night Shopping. The showcase of that evening will be a Gingerbread House Competition. Make your plans now and get creative. Details will follow.