New events bringing Christmas time fun to Main Street
COSHOCTON – Downtown business owners Linnet Lowe and Denise Guthrie are encouraging others to join them in some holiday fun.
Lowe from Linnet’s Flowers on the Square and Guthrie from Mercantile on Main are working with Our Town Coshocton to host the inaugural store front decorating competition between downtown businesses.
“Denise and I have had a silent competition between each other for a few years now,” Lowe said. “It’s been really fun and we are excited to open it up to other (downtown) businesses and encourage them to have fun and be clever. There are a lot of business that we feel deserve the support of the community.”
To participate in the competition, businesses had to pay a $5 entry fee that went toward the courthouse lighting fund. Those who committed to the challenge include: Coshocton Antique Mall, Linnet’s Flowers on the Square, Mercantile on Main, Coshocton Furniture, Carroll’s Men’s Shop, Fisher Decorating Center, Treasure Hunt, Wilson Carpet & Furniture, The Coshocton County Beacon, Sheree’s Salon and Spa, Optics Plus Vision Center, Coshocton County Auditor’s Office, American Legion Post 65, Carol Goff and Associates, BHK Events, and Dean’s Jewelry.
Guthrie believes the businesses are excited to compete with each other.
“They are doing this whole heartedly,” she said. “Come support them and really looking into their windows and at what they have. We want to make this an annual event.”
Displays were scheduled to be set up by Nov. 16 and the winner will be picked by popular vote. Participating businesses will have ballots and maps directing people to those who took part in the competition.
“We want people to go into the shops and walk down Main Street,” Lowe said. “You can leave your ballot with any of the participants. The winner will get an amazing trophy. It will be a traveling trophy so we can use it for years to come. You also get bragging rights.”
Ballots and maps also can be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 15 during the Giving Tree event in the artPARK.
For $25, clubs, businesses, organizations, churches, and other groups get a live Christmas tree with stand to decorate. Decorating starts at 9 a.m. and lasts until 11:45 a.m.
“When planning decorations we just ask people to remember that these are live trees so you will be dealing with sap and that they will be moved,” Guthrie said.
Judging by popular vote will be from noon to 4 p.m. People are encouraged to come down to visit with Santa, enjoy family activities offered by downtown churches and walk through the trees to pick their favorite one. A prize will be awarded to the winning tree. Organizers will then work in conjunction with the Salvation Army to donate the trees and decorations to someone in need.
“Our goal is 20 trees and we are already up to 10,” Guthrie said. “People have until the end of November to purchase their tree and stand.”
Anyone paying by check needs to make them out to Seasons of Service, which will be providing the live trees for decorating. Contact Guthrie at Mercantile on Main at 740-622-5956 or text 740-294-4181 or Lowe at Linnet’s Flowers on the Square at 740-622-5171 to confirm your spot in the Giving Tree event.
Category: People & Places
