(Posted Nov. 22, 2021)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Ho-ho-ho! Christmas in the Village is a go! The Mount Sterling Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual holiday celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 in downtown Mount Sterling.
An illuminated parade will step off at 6 p.m. Lineup starts at 5:30 in the parking lot at the Mount Sterling Community Center, 164 E. Main St. The parade route runs from the center, to Main Street, across London Street, over to Columbus Street, then north onto London Street. Anyone who would like to participate is asked to contact Tim Corbin at (614) 530-3132.
Santa will participate in the parade and be dropped off at the gazebo across from town hall, 1 S. London St., where he and Mrs. Claus will assist with the tree lighting, greet children, hand out candy, and pose for photos.
Throughout the event, vendors will be selling their wares outside on the town hall lawn and inside Masonic Lodge 269, 54 N. London St. Booth space is $20. To inquire about renting a space, contact Barbie Wallace at (614) 832-0796.
Downtown businesses will be open, offering refreshments, sales, and giveaways. Some will offer activities, too, such as Urban Pineapple where children can make reindeer food with help from Summer Jam Festival royalty.
The Mount Sterling Market Crew encourages visitors to participate in the Shop Hop, collecting stamps at downtown businesses for a chance to win prizes and Chamber Bucks good at participating businesses. The grand prize is a basket of merchandise worth more than $100.
New this year are a live nativity scene, courtesy of Mount Sterling First Church of the Nazarene, and a petting zoo, both of which will be set up on the town hall lawn. Also new are horse-drawn carriage rides provided by Horse-N-Round Fun. The rides are $10 each. Drop-off and pickup are at Reiterman Feed & Supply.
Other event features include a caricature artist and face painter (location will depend on the weather) and a giving tree at the gazebo with free mittens, scarves and hats for anyone who needs them.
Several contests are planned, including Best Dressed Pet at 4:30 p.m. and Gaudy Christmas Get-Up (for humans) at 5 p.m., both at the gazebo. Hammer Time Pub, 27 S. London St., is sponsoring a chili contest. For a donation, anyone can enter the contest or judge the entries. Proceeds go to Mason Park.
In a change from past celebrations, the Mount Sterling Community Center will not be open for the event. Instead, center personnel will be set up inside town hall where children can make ornaments and write letters to Santa. The center also is hosting a tree auction at town hall. Local groups and businesses have decorated and donated tabletop Christmas trees. Visitors are invited to vote on their favorites, as well as bid on trees they’d like to take home. The silent auction starts at 4 p.m. and ends at 7:30. Winners will be contacted by phone to make arrangements to pick up their trees at 8:30. Proceeds benefit the center. Any group that would like to decorate and donate a tree can contact Tamra Hall at (614) 271-2316 for details.
