As Thursday went on, the signs of the holiday season began to spring up in Elizabethton.
With Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations starting to appear, the city is preparing for a festive time over the next two months, according to Downtown Business Association President Cathy Shoun.
“It’s an exciting time,” said Shoun, who operates The Dressing Room, said about the holiday joy circulating through the area.
It’s a joy the businesses in downtown are taking to heart and looking to spread throughout the community with the annual Downtown Christmas Open House scheduled to take place on Sunday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 5 p.m.
“Businesses are already putting up their decorations and the Christmas lights are going up,” Shoun said. “This is a big holiday event. Everybody is working real hard to get ready. We always look to have this event during the second Sunday of November.”
Shoun encourages individuals to stop by downtown to see what stores have to offer. Various door prizes, giveaways and sales and scheduled to take place during the event.
“We think it’s the best time for the event,” Shoun said about the scheduling. “We already see our cafes filled with people every Sunday after church. We use this event as a way to show the community and people coming in what downtown Elizabethton is all about.”
And don’t expect the holiday spirit to be gone following Sunday. On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the annual lighting of the Fraser Fir Christmas Tree is scheduled to take place while “Shop Small” Saturday is pegged for Nov. 26.
Once November concludes, downtown will be a hotbed of holiday joy once again on Saturday, Dec. 3, with the annual Christmas Parade.
“We’re all working together,” Shoun said. “We’re working with the Chamber of Commerce… there’s so many people coming together to make this year’s experience enjoyable for everyone.”
Getting into a festive spirit is nothing new for the business, Shoun added, with the recent Halloween scarecrow contest put on by the DBA concluding with high marks.
“It was a great event,” Shoun added. “It’s always great to go through downtown and see the different designs at each column. Everything went great and we’re hoping to see grow more next year.”
Covered Bridge Cafe finished in first place for the association’s event while Ivy Hall and Security Federal Bank finished second and third, respectively.
More information on upcoming events will be included in future print editions of the Elizabethton Star. Individuals are also encouraged to visit the Elizabethton Downtown Business Association Facebook page online to see updates on what the businesses are up to throughout the year.