JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville’s annual Downtown Community Christmas Festival takes place this year on Saturday, Nov. 30, throughout the city’s downtown business district. This year’s festival marks the fifth year of hosting this Small Business Saturday 2019 event. But in order to keep its promise to bring the best of holiday memories again this year, the community needs “u.” On Sunday, Nov. 10, a new pre-Festival fundraiser event is taking place at the 1880 Pizza Pasta House.
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Located at 210 S.State St., Jerseyville, the restaurant will be the place to fill your belly with some of the cuisine the new dining venue has to offer, while also visiting with some of Disney most beloved characters. The event has been organized to help cover some of the costs incurred with each year’s hosting of the Downtown Country Christmas Festival. Six professional Disney character players will be on hand to visit with diners as they sample some of the cuisine the new dining venue has to offer. Photo and souvenir opportunities will also be available. Reservations are available but filling up fast for the 12 noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m. time slots.
Tickets are $25 each. Call Julie’s Graphics at (618) 639-3548 or visit 103 Lincoln Ave., Jerseyville, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to secure reservations or for more information. Festival organizers are also pleading for more volunteers, and there is an ongoing appeal for more event sponsors as well. One of this year’s festival sponsors is Heneghan, White, Cutting, and Rice Insurance Agency. Their location will be the host site for the Festival’s Bake Shoppe. It will also be where children have the chance to visit with Santa Claus himself once he arrives via helicopter.
Joe Heneghan is the agency’s president, and he shared why his company got involved.
“I like being a sponsor for the Downtown Country Christmas Festival because it shows a favorable light on the downtown Jerseyville area. Itis a very family-oriented environment,” said Heneghan.“The Festival brings together our downtown businesses, to show their enthusiasm in working together in the spirit of Christmas within a real hometown atmosphere, and to give everyone attending a warm and personal feeling of middle American values.” Any business, organization or entity interested in sponsoring this year’s Nov. 30 Small Business Saturday event should do so by Nov. 1 to be included in all forms of DCCF sponsor recognition. There are different levels of sponsorship options available. Anyone interested as a sponsor can visit the Festival website at downtowncountrychristmas.com to complete a sponsorship form or learn more.
Individual donations are also welcome. Melanie Wiel and volunteers her time serving as one of the Festival’s planning committee members; she has helped to secure this year's sponsors. “The Downtown Country Christmas Festival takes place each year because of our sponsors,” said Wieland. “It costs a lot of money to put this festival on. If it wasn’t for our community being as generous as it is, and our sponsors being equally as generous as they are, this festival would cease to exist.”To help with the festival in an alternate way, volunteers are still very much needed. “We have a series of workdays scheduled at the Festival Storage site prior to November 30,” said Michael Ward, DCCF coordinator.
“And we need all the help we can get. We also need volunteers on the day of the festival. “If you want to lend a hand before, the day of, throughout the month ahead, several hours or just a few, we need you. There are so many ways to get involved and help make the event a successful one again, while also giving back to your community and perhaps even having the chance to ‘pay it forward,’” Ward added. Those who wish to volunteer, or those looking for community service hours to complete with a local nonprofit, can send an email to downtowncountrychristmas@gmail.com or call(618) 567-0739 to sign up. All the latest details about the 5thannual Downtown Country Christmas Festival can also be found by following their Facebook page, Downtown Country Christmas Festival INC, @DCCF.
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