Followed by Riverbender.com Community Center Open House
(Alton, IL - November 9, 2009) � On Friday, November 20th Alton Marketplace and Downtown Alton Inc. will host two events that are sure to get you into the holiday spirit. The 15th Annual Tree Lighting at Lincoln-Douglas Square will begin with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus on the trolley at 6:00. The free festivities including caroling, candy, cookies, hot cocoa and prize drawings for kids will continue until 6:45 when Mayor Tom Hoechst flips the lights on our beautiful tree, which is provided by the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club.
Carols will fill the air throughout the evening provided by Limited Edition, the Main Street Methodist Church Youth Choir and Girl Scout Troop 101, and Father David Boase from St. Paul�s Episcopal Parish of Alton will bless the tree. Other speakers include Rotary Club 2009 President Ford Phillips, and Salvation Army Captain Randy Tooley, who will be kicking off the �Tree of Lights� campaign. The public is encouraged to help the less fortunate by bringing canned food donations to the event, which will be constructed into a giant �Castle of Cans� to benefit local food pantries. You can also drop off non-perishable food donations in advance into collection boxes in the lobbies of Alton City Hall, the Alton Police Department, or either of the Alton Fire Stations any time before 5pm on Tuesday, November 17th. Many thanks to The United Way, the Junior League of Greater Alton and Alderman Mike Velloff for their help with this project.
This year's Taste of Downtown will be held at the Temple Banquet Facility (above Spirits Lounge at 300 State Street), from 5:30-8:30. Many downtown dining establishments will be preparing a sampling of their cuisine, wine, beer or a signature drink, and tickets will be sold for $5.
Free trolley transportation has been arranged between the two locations from 5:00-8:00, and other activities will line 3rd Street from 7:00-9:00, such as a live reindeer, carolers and a performance by the A-Town Steppers. Please bring your cameras to capture free photos of your family with Santa and the live reindeer.
The public is encouraged to make a night of it and enjoy the fun activities in the district while patronizing the downtown merchants for their holiday shopping and enjoying new and improved holiday decorations provided by the downtown improvement organizations. Alton Marketplace and Downtown Alton Inc. would truly appreciate your support at the Taste of Downtown fundraiser, and hope to see you on the 20th for a wonderful evening of holiday cheer!
RiverBender.com Community Center FULL STEAM AHEAD!
Please join us for an Open House following the Christmas Tree Lighting Friday, November 20th at 200 W. Third Street, the former First National/Meridian Bank building. Volunteer’s will be on hand to narrate your tour through the facility which promises to be the best of its kind in the country! We are very proud to sponsor this endeavor and humbled by the amazing generosity of local businesses and residents to create a safe, fun and social environment for our teens! Please visit www.riverbender.com/communitycenter for more information.
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