Christmas Kicks Off This Friday, November 23rd

The Christmas season will kick off Friday, November 23rd, courtesy of the Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. Scheduled events include kid’s face painting, petting zoo, soup contest, shopping opportunities, visits with Santa, live entertainment and the evening’s parade of lights. There will be all kinds of food vendors on the sidewalk from 4-7 pm offering treats including mini-donuts, kettle corn, and burritos. The day’s special events begin at 10 am with a new event, the 1, 3, 5 Turkey Trot put on by the Sidney High School Cross Country team. Both the runs and the walk will begin and end at the high school with the 1k Kids Run beginning at 10 am, the 5k Run beginning at 10:30 am, and the 3k Walk beginning at 10:45 am. Registration forms can be picked up at any of the Sidney Public Schools or at the Chamber.

Later on, at 2:30 pm, Santa will be making his grand entrance down Central Ave. on one of Sidney’s fire trucks. He will then meet with children at the VFW, 124 2nd Ave NE, from 3- 5:30 pm. Photos will be taken by Sissy MacGrady (8x10, $10; 5x7, $7). The Sidney High School BPA will be providing children’s activities at the VFW, from 3-6 pm. There will be face painting, carnival games, and the yearbook staff will be selling homemade popcorn balls. C&J Painting’s Petting Zoo will be set up across the street from Restorx from 4-6 pm. The petting zoo will consist of sheep, goats, donkey, pot belly pigs, and rabbits. At the same time, the annual Soup Contest will be held in the Restorx building from 4-6:30pm. Also there will be live entertainment on East Main from 4-6 pm. The entertainment so far this year includes Cutting Edge Dance Studio, Larry Riggs with vocal, Tami Meras with vocal, and Shawnee Tyler & Taylor Thiessen with vocal. The Parade of Trees Auction will be held at the Village Square Mall from 6-7 p.m. There will be decorated trees and more to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Richland County, Family Resource Center, BPA and Key Club. The annual Parade of Lights will begin at 7 pm. at the Reynold’s/Shopko parking lot and end in the Reese & Ray’s IGA parking lot. Awards will be given for Best Use of Theme, Best Use of Lights and Judge’s Choice. Anyone interested in putting a float in the parade may just show up by 6:30 pm in the Reynold’s/Shopko parking lot. The parade will be emceed by The Maverick of 95.1. After the parade, Santa will hand out candy bags in the Reese & Ray’s IGA Parking lot, courtesy of Reese & Ray’s IGA. Most businesses will be open until 7 pm Friday night. Christmas extended shopping hours will be Sundays, beginning Dec. 2, from noon-4 pm. and Dec. 17-21 stores will be open until 7 pm.