It’s time to ring in the holiday season.
Junior Auxiliary of McMinnville’s 34th annual Christmas in the Park is this Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The free event, which is geared toward children, will include many Christmas-related activities offered by Main Street businesses. The event stretches from Magness Library to Pioneer Pediatrics along Main Street.
Among the many highlights, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for pictures at Pioneer Pediatrics.
Most recently added were businesses on Spring Street including Kimmi’s Tea Room with cookie decorating for Santa and hot chocolate at It All Makes Scents. Other new business participants include the Biz Foundry, Evelyn Taylor Avenue, Renewed Creations, and Doodle Fish.
For the first time in the history of the festive occasion, Ben Lomand will provide free wifi.
Ross & Company is holding a mother’s center inside the barber shop with a warm place for nursing mothers and a changing station.
Also new this year is a coat drive which will be housed at the Chamber of Commerce Community Room on Court Square. The coats will be used to help increase the inventory at Warren County Schools’ Family Resource Center. The Family Resource Center distributes coats and other clothing items to children in the school system and is need of more teen and adult-sized coats.
“JA’s Coats for the Community, which happened in October, was the inspiration for this coat drive and Christmas is the perfect time to collect more coats,” said Sarah Carr, event co-chair. “Please bring clean, gently used coats, scarves, hats and gloves to the Community Room on Court Square between 6 and 8 p.m. There will be face painting set up with a suggested, but not required, donation of coats and/ or canned goods for our local Food Bank.”
A highlight every year is the Polar Express, which is operated by conductors from First National Bank. Other fun traditions include calls to the North Pole courtesy of Ben Lomand, ornament making with new Junior Auxiliary provisional members at Regions Bank, yuletide storytelling at Magness Library, letters to Santa at McMinnville Post Office, and bounce houses sponsored by Homeland Community Bank and the Law Offices of Galligan & Newman.
JA of McMinnville also includes a luminary ceremony, in honor of, or in memory of, loved ones throughout the community.
A luminary is $10. Food is collected to help weigh the luminaries down and make a solid base for the candles, and these canned goods will be donated to Warren County Emergency Food Bank after the event.
There will be seasonal performances, including caroling from the WCHS choir, the Dream Reality Group singers, Westwood singers and performers from Hark in the Park. Buddy the Elf will be at Citizens Tri-County Bank between performances for photos with children.
For more information, contact the organization by email at jamcminnville@gmail.com, via Facebook or any Junior Auxiliary member.
