ALTON - On Friday, November 22nd Alton Main Street will host an event that’s sure to get you into the holiday spirit. The 25th 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.
Songs will fill the air throughout the evening provided by many area Girl Scout Troops, and the Resound Worship Team from Main Street United Methodist Church. Amy Brooks, Minister at First Unitarian Church of Alton will bless the tree. Other speakers include Rotary Club President Tim Heinrichs, and Salvation Army Lts. Steven & Lily Reinier, who will be kicking off the “Tree of Lights” campaign with 2019 Chairpeople John and Jayne Simmons. The MC for this community event will be Trish Holmes, Director of Member Services for the RiverBend Growth Association.
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Visitors can check out the Salvation Army’s Big Red Kettle during the event, and 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.
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. New this year, free horse and carriage rides will be offered, departing from the corner of 3rd and Belle Streets from 7:00-9:00. Families can enter a drawing for three people to ride in the carriage with Santa from the Square to the Community Center at 7:00 by posting their favorite photo from a prior Tree Lighting – details on how to enter can be found at www.facebook.com/AltonMainStreet.
The public is encouraged to make a night of it and enjoy the fun activities in the district while patronizing the downtown merchants and restaurants for their holiday shopping and dining. You can find more information on the many ways the Alton Main Street is working to promote and advance 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:
CNB Bank & Trust, Illinois American Water, Simmons Hanly Conroy, Alton Memorial Hospital, Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery, Argosy Casino, Busey Bank, Republic Services, Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, Merle Norman Cosmetics Salon and Spa, Droege & Associates, State's Attorney Tom Gibbons, Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe, Representative Monica Bristow, Altonized Community Credit Union, Midwest Members Credit Union, 1st Mid-America Credit Union, Roberts Motors, The Firehouse Bar, SIHF Healthcare, Riverbender.com, The Telegraph, WBGZ Radio, and AdVantage.
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