By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
After several months of getting ready, the Crestline Chamber of Commerce has many plans and events to create a fun and exciting environment for the upcoming holiday season in Top Town and in Lake Gregory Village. The plans are to create a winter wonderland of decorations this holiday season in Crestline. There are even plans to extend the décor to Skyforest, in time for their Winterfest. The grand lighting countdown event will be on Nov. 29.The chamber wants to encourage new customers to come into the stores and hopefully bring up down-the-hill shoppers. The chamber will be festively decorating the streets of the two main shopping areas of town. They have acquired high-quality decorations for installation along both Crest Forest and Lake Drives.
The theme will be “Holidays in the Pines,” so they are encouraging all stores and businesses to light up their storefronts and add to the color and celebrations they have planned.
Numerous merchants have been asked by the chamber to allow them to install tall ornaments, some up to six feet tall, along the front of their stores. The chamber will supply ornaments with up-lighting at their locations to bring joy to the street scene. Richard Bizzy of Bizzyland is designing and building some large 3-D pinecone décor items for selfie photo locations which will be installed at several other locations along Lake Drive, including at Goodwin’s Market, with Santa at Foxhound.
Shopping bags are also some of the new décor that will be set up along the streets of Crestline, being painted.
There will also be a Christmas tree decoration contest between merchants and nonprofits. There are approximately 50 pre-lighted, three- and four-foot-tall all-weather artificial trees available for adoption by the various stores. Please register on Jot Form from VisitCrestline.org for a tree with the pick-up date on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the chamber office.
It will be up to the stores to choose which of the seven categories they want to decorate their trees in and be responsible to set them up during the contest. The judging categories will be: Most Beautiful/Traditional; Best Execution of Holidays in the Pines theme; Most Elegant; Best Use of Upcycle/Recycled materials; Best Business Showcase; Best Use of Humor in Decorating; and Tackiest Tree design. Those participating businesses will be listed on the VisitCrestline.org website to encourage shoppers to go to the stores to see the trees and vote for their favorite, as these awards will be partially judged by the customers through QR codes at VisitCrestline.org.
Santa will set up in the alcove of Foxhound in the center of Lake Gregory Village from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20. On some Sundays Santa may also come to visit for selfies, too. Details on those dates will be announced closer to December, depending on weather.
Each of those weekends will have activities to enjoy. There will be hospitality stations with hot beverages and snacks. Christmas carolers will be walking around in Top Town, at Higher Ground Coffee Company and next to Rim Bowling, to bring the joy of music to the community during those hours.
“They are still seeking small groups of carolers who would like to join us in creating the fun and join us as we carol our hearts out while spreading Christmas joy to neighbors, visitors and local shops,” said Chamber President Louis Boehle. They are hopeful some caroler singing groups may volunteer to walk through town singing songs on those Saturdays. They can be small choral groups, groups of children or church groups. Call the chamber at (909) 338-2706 and let them know of your intentions. Even a few hours of help will be appreciated on any days of the season.
Nov. 22 is also the day the chamber will be testing the lights on the holiday lighting ornaments at each location.
The chamber still needs some volunteers to help install the decorations and to work at the hospitality stations that will be set up throughout the town on Saturdays beginning Nov. 29, with suggested locations of Encompass, How Money Works, Ace Garden Center, Bizzyland and Foxhound. They have already hosted several decoration painting parties at the chamber office, working with local businesses.
On Nov. 29 from 8 to 11:30 a.m., Breakfast with Santa will take place in Top Town as part of the opening day events. RSVP to Mountain Cravings on Crest Forest Drive. Cost is $7.50 per person.
Get involved and enjoy the Holidays in the Pines. It’s time to warm the pines with music, laughter and holiday magic. Join with the other members of the community on Lake Drive for Holidays in the Pines throughout Lake Gregory Village and Top Town Crestline.
The chamber is also currently having their end-of-the-year election for the three new board members. All chamber members should have received their ballot with the names of new board of directors’ members listed, with a link to the voting website. They ask all chamber members to return their ballots as soon as possible.
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