By Mary Spicer
For the first time in recent memory, the post-Thanksgiving ritual of shopping known as Black Friday will not conclude with another beloved, but more local, ritual.
Light Up Night Meadville, the annual lighting of the city’s holiday lights in Diamond Park and downtown Meadville, has been moved back one week, from the Friday after Turkey Day to the first Friday in December.
The change was made at the request
of Make It Meadville, the group of downtown advocates organized to bring the national Main Street Program to Meadville.
The change will unite the glory of Light Up Night with First Friday, a downtown tradition of businesses staying open until 8 p.m. introduced as part of the Make It Meadville campaign in May.
The evening is a joint venture uniting Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Meadville, Make It Meadville and First National Insurance, according to chamber spokesperson Karen Staudt.
This year’s Light Up Night also will mark the first official public appearance of Kathleen Bishop, who will become the chamber’s president and chief executive officer on Dec. 1.
Dec. 4 is going to be a holly-jolly evening, according to Alice Sjolander, market master at Meadville Market House, where the evening’s celebrations will begin at 4 p.m. with a reception and horse-drawn carriage rides around downtown Meadville. Both the
reception, sponsored by Friends of the Market House, and carriage rides are scheduled to continue until 7 p.m., while the Market House and Market Grille will remain open until 8.
From 4:30 to 5:15, carolers from Meadville Area Senior High School under the direction of Mary Lynne Peters will welcome visitors to the Market House. From 6 to 7, Topish will perform inside.
Festivities at @ the bank near the corner of Park Avenue and Chestnut Street will include the MASH String Ensemble under the direction of Sandi Corbett between 6 and 7.
On Diamond Park, the celebration begins at 5:30 at the gazebo with Christmas music provided by COOL 101.7 FM radio. Activities beginning at 6 will include the lighting of the community tree, decorated by First National Insurance Agency; sing-along Christmas carols with Miss Crawford County, Miss Meadville and members of MASH District Chorus under the direction of Peters; and the reading of the official proclamation lighting up Meadville by Mayor Richard Friedberg.
Complimentary hot chocolate will be provided by Windstream Communications.
The Jolly Old Elf is expected to arrive at Diamond Park in a horse-drawn carriage at 6:30 p.m. to help light the Christmas tree and announce adult and youth winners in Make It Meadville’s 4th Annual Christmas Cookie Bake-Off.
From there, it’s back into the horse-drawn carriage for the traditional parade to the Downtown Mall. On the way, Santa will pause briefly at Chestnut and Park to wave on the lights on @ the Bank and again at Chestnut and Market streets, where he will wave on the lights at the Market House — including trees surrounding the historic structure that have been decorated as part of the annual Trees of Meadville contest sponsored by the Market House.
At the Downtown Mall, Santa will listen to Christmas wishes and distribute candy canes, accompanied by the MASH Jazz Band under the direction of Jill Manning.
Wednesday, Meadville City Council is expected to approve the city’s annual “free two-hour parking” program, which is expected to begin Friday. Details will be announced during Wednesday’s council meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in Meadville City Building.
For information about Light Up Night Meadville, contact Karen Staudt at Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce, 337-8030 or kstaudt@meadvillechamber.com.
Judging in the 4th Annual Christmas Cookie Bake-Off sponsored by Make It Meadville will be on Dec. 2 at @ the bank, 940 Park Ave. Entry forms can be picked up at @ the bank or at the Chamber of Commerce office at 908 Diamond Park. The deadline for submitting entry forms is Monday. For information about the bake-off, contact Kay Coches at @ the bank, 724-3199 or koffeebean940@yahoo.com.
Mary Spicer can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at mspicer@meadvilletribune.com.
