Historic Heritage Village/City Park seek to become holiday light-viewing destinations
Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays
‘Cause no matter how far away you roam
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze
For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home – From the Christmas song, “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays”
Historic Heritage Village in Mountain Lake, along with Mountain Lake City Park, are seeking to become a pair of holiday light-viewing destinations as folks come on “Home for the Holidays,”
Together, the Mountain Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber’s Retail Committee, The Heritage Village and “Christmas In The Park” are looking toward making 2016 a festive and “enlightening” holiday season.
Area businesses and individuals are sponsoring the lights and decorations on the front of the buildings along Heritage Village’s Main Street, as well as in Mountain Lake City Park – including that location’s unique Snowflake Garden.
The lights at both locations will remain lit throughout the holiday season. The Heritage Village setting will provide a warm “Welcome” to Mountain Lake from Minnesota State Highway 60 – and when traveling to the center of town – Mountain Lake City Park’s disiplay will continue to express colorful seasonal cheer.
Festivities for “Home for the Holidays” will begin at Heritage Village on Friday, November 25, beginning at 5 p.m. An evening of holiday fun follows, including free caroling by local students, hot cocoa and apple cider and horse-drawn wagon rides. In addition, a hot pulled pork sandwich meal will be available for purchase, courtesy of Martin Quintero. A bake sale will top off this event, with home-baked Christmas goodies ready to be taken home and shared with family and friends.
At 8 p.m., the scene shifts, as the lighting tradition continues at Mountain Lake City Park with the “Christmas in the Park” lighting ceremony, combined with the Snowflake Garden honors and recognition.
Local holiday cheer continues on to Small Business Saturday
“Home for the Holidays” will continue when Small Business Saturday arrives the following day (Saturday, November 26), as local stores offer up special and unique gift ideas.
Small Business Saturday is celebrated the first Saturday after Thanksgiving – and between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize the “brick-and-mortar” businesses that are small and local.
The idea was conceived and promoted by American Express in 2010. The initiative can be followed on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page, or under the Twitter hashtags #smallbusinesssaturday and #smallbizsaturday.
To kick off Small Business Saturday in Mountain Lake, Santa will be making a local visit at Sweetfields from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Goodie bags and books, provided by Mountain Lake Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), will be special gifts given to the kids attending the event.
Meanwhile, parents will also be on the receiving end – and not just lumps of coal. The annual Chamber Bucks Shopping Spree Raffle Drawing will award four prizes this year. These include one $500 prize, one $200 prize and two $100 prizes. Raffle tickets may be purchased at area businesses for $10.
Mountain Lake businesses will be ready for the the winners to spend their “bucks,” and, of course, all Christmas shoppers – to “shop local” during this specially-designated Saturday.
All events on Friday and Saturday are free to attend.
Planning for the two days of ‘Home for the Holidays’ activities began early
Planning for these two days of holiday activities began in early spring as an effort to highlight the natural beauty and unique heritage Mountain Lake enjoys. The Mountain Lake Area Chamber of Commerce wants to make Mountain Lake a holiday destination, and in a city-wide effort to make this happen, is encouraging all business owners and Mountain Lake residents to also light up their buildings, homes, or yards with their own little bit of holiday cheer.
