Christmas
in Thurmont kicks off Dec. 2
BY JAMES RADA JR.
Thurmont News Editor
THURMONT,
Md. – Ho, ho, ho! Thurmont is getting ready for the Christmas
season and its annual celebration of “Christmas in Thurmont.”
“We
want you to come downtown and shop and have a hang out kind
of day,” said John Kinnaird with the Thurmont Economic
Development Commission.
Christmas
in Thurmont will happen on Saturday, Dec. 2. Visitors can
pick up a map at the Mechanicstown Park. The map will list
a number of businesses throughout the Thurmont area. The idea
is to visit those businesses and get a stamp.
“Anybody
who collects all of the stamps will receive a special gift,”
said J. R. Wantz, who is organizing this year’s event
along with his wife Cindy. “Last year it was a coffee
mug, but I don’t think it will be that this year.”
You can
also register for door prizes that will be given away beginning
at 5 p.m. at Hobbs Hardware. You must be present to win.
“Last
year we had 150 prizes or something like that,” Kinnaird
said.
Santa
Claus will be driven through town in the annual Santa parade
from noon to 1 p.m. Before and after the parade, Santa will
be at Mechanicstown Park to hear children’s Christmas
lists. You will also be able to get a free picture with Santa.
Many
businesses will have cookies, cider and snacks for customers.
Children can visit the Thurmont Senior Center from 2 p.m.
to 4 p.m. for a movie, games and snacks.
“All
of this started with the Economic Development Commission to
help us get the Main Street designation,” Wantz said.
“You’re supposed to have a number of events to
help downtown businesses.”
He pointed
out, though, that the event has expanded beyond downtown Thurmont
to include all of the Thurmont area.
“It
is a way to get people to shop or at least visit the stores,”
Wantz said. “I have heard many times people say, ‘Gosh,
I didn’t know you had that here.’”
He tells
the story of a business owner who told him after the first
Christmas in Thurmont that it hadn’t been worth it.
It had been too much of a hassle. Then a few days later, the
same business owner took back his comments because a man had
come into his business and bought nearly $1,000 worth of gifts
for his wife. The man had discovered the business had the
items because he had gone into the store during Christmas
in Thurmont.
Thurmont’s
annual holiday decoration contest will be Dec. 11-13. Five
residential awards and one commercial award will be given.
The contest prohibits consecutive winners; so last year’s
winners cannot win this year.
For the
holiday season, the town is offering two hours of free parking
per visit from Nov. 24 to Jan. 1.
