ALTON - On Friday, November 16th Alton Main Street will host an event that’s sure to get you into the holiday spirit. The 24th Annual Community 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, cookies and hot cocoa will continue until 6:45 when Mayor Brant Walker flips the lights on the beautiful tree, which is provided by the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club. Families are encouraged to bring their cameras to take pictures with Santa and costumed holiday characters.
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Carols will fill the air throughout the evening provided by many area Girl Scout Troops, and the JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) Singers. Peter Hough and Charles Burton of The Unity Mission will bless the tree. Other speakers include Alton Main Street Treasurer Debby Edelman, Rotary Club Vice President Tim Heinrichs, and Salvation Army Lts. Steven & Lily Reinier, who will be kicking off the “Tree of Lights” campaign with 2018 Chairpeople Dale & Carol Neudecker. The MC for this community event will be Leah Beacoat.
The public is encouraged to help the less fortunate by bringing canned food donations to the event to benefit the food pantry at the Salvation Army; the items will be constructed into a giant “Castle of Cans” at the foot of the Lincoln and Douglas statues during the event. You can also drop off non-perishable food donations in advance into a collection box in the lobby of Alton City Hall, located at 101 E. 3rd Street anytime before 5pm on Thursday, November 15th.
Between the hours of 5:30-7:30, free trolley transportation will be provided between Lincoln-Douglas Square and the Riverbender.com Community Center, located at 200 W. 3rd Street. Following the Tree Lighting, the public is invited to the Community Center’s Holiday Open House to play games, make crafts, visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus and warm up with refreshments indoors until 10:00 p.m.
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. You can find more information on the many ways the Alton Main Street is working to promote and improve the historic district, as well as ways to get involved on their website: www.DowntownAlton.com.
Alton Main Street would like to thank the following sponsors who have made this event possible:
Simmons Hanly Conroy, Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery, Liberty Bank, CNB Bank & Trust, Alton Memorial Hospital, TheBANK of Edwardsville, Argosy Casino, The Salvation Army, Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club, Alton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau, OSF / Saint Anthony's Health Center, McDonald's, Roberts Motors, Robert "Bob" Sanders Waste System, 1st Mid-America Credit Union, Integrity Healthcare of Alton, Representative Monica Bristow, SIHF Healthcare, Sheppard, Morgan & Schwaab, Riverbender.com, The Telegraph, WBGZ Radio, and AdVantage.
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