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Downtown events to kick off season

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By Kathy Thomson

This Saturday, Nov. 30, the Albany Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a Christmas season kick-off event with a host of activities scheduled to take place in the downtown area throughout the day.

Shopping, a gift wrapping station, drawings for Albany Bucks, a lighted Christmas parade, the arrival of Santa Claus, Christmas music, lighting of the Memorial Christmas Tree, a wine festival, a fundraising raffle, and a live performance at the Aztec of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever are all planned.

Lighted Parade

The weather should be ideal for this year’s lighted Christmas parade, and last-minute entries will be accepted right up until the parade begins, although pre-registration is encouraged.

To register, call Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones at 325-762-2525 during regular office hours. However, the Chamber will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

“If there is no answer, leave a message,” said Jones. “Or, if it’s last minute, just show up at the church parking lot at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and we will get your information then.”

Lineup for the parade will be at 5:00 p.m. behind the First Baptist Church, and the parade will start as soon as it is dark enough (around 6:00 to 6:15 p.m.), according to Jones.

The temperature is forecasted to be in the low 50s, with a light breeze and no precipitation at the time of the parade.  

The annual lighted Christmas parade is free and is open to anyone who wants to light up a float, car, golf cart, wagon, horse, bicycle, bus, or any other entry and join the fun. Parade winners will be recognized.

“The entries must be lighted,” said Jones. “The parade is all about the beauty of the lights, not who is riding on the floats.”

Santa is expected to arrive riding on one of the parade vehicles, and he will be on hand afterward for pictures.

Albany Bucks Prizes

Participating merchants will hand out tickets for the prize drawings to qualified shoppers, one ticket for each $10 spent on Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30. 

“We will be giving away a total of $1,000 in Albany Bucks,” said Jones. “ The merchants will give the tickets for the drawing to their customers, and then the customers need to write names on each of their tickets and put them in the hopper on Saturday.”

The hopper will be on a trailer parked downtown between the Bank Park and First National Bank on Saturday afternoon.

Shortly before each drawing, all of the tickets in the hopper will be mixed up. Then the winning tickets will be drawn, and the winners announced.

“You must be present to win!” Jones said. 

The first drawing will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.

“We’ll give away $50 in Albany Bucks to each of five winners for a total of $250 during the first drawing,” said the Chamber manager.  

The next drawing will take place the following hour, at 5:00 p.m., and five winners will each be given $50 in the local script.

“The final drawing will take place around 6:00 p.m. and that time we’ll draw for five winners of $100 each,” said Jones.

Albany Bucks can be used just like cash at participating Albany merchants.

The special script will be valid until Feb. 1, 2020.

Coloring Contest

Winners of the Chamber sponsored Christmas coloring contest will be announced at the 4:00 p.m. drawing. 

There will be one winner selected from each of the grades at Nancy Smith.

“We will post the winning pictures outside of Desperadoes,” said Jones. “The prize money will be sent to the elementary school for the teachers to award to the winners.”

Memorial Tree

The Memorial Tree, which is decorated with lights, greenery, and ornaments commemorating loved ones, will be lit after the parade is over.

The wooden tree is set up in the Bank Park at the corner of South First and South Main streets.

The memorial ornaments are cross shaped this year. A heart and cardinal add a splash of red to the front of each white wooden-looking cross, and the name of the loved one being remembered will be written on the back.

The ornaments are priced at $5 each, and can be purchased at the Chamber office or at the parade.

The ornaments can be hung on the Memorial Tree for the 2019 Christmas season, and then taken home with the buyer after New Year. 

Christmas Play

The Albany Mainstreet Playhouse is presenting The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the Aztec Theater in downtown Albany at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.

Adult tickets are $15, and student tickets are $8. Tickets to the comedy can be purchased at The Albany News or at the door before the performance.

The 25-member cast, made up mostly of children, will give a 2:30 p.m. matinee performance on Sunday, Dec. 1 and on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Wrapping Area

Shoppers can take advantage of free gift wrapping stations that will be available at the Old Jail Art Center from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.

Food Truck

There will be a food truck at the Bank Park on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Singers Invited

Jones is asking any singing groups who would like to perform downtown on Nov. 30 to contact her at the Chamber office.

“We are hoping to get some children’s groups, church choirs, or families who would like to perform,” she said. “We’d love to have them. Call the Chamber, and we’ll schedule a time.”

Additional Activities

The Texas Forts Trail Region is holding a wine festival on Saturday, Nov. 30 in Albany at The Blue Duck Winery from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m.

Eight vineyards, including Albany’s Blue Duck Winery, will be at the event.

Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 at the door, and include a swag bag, food, entertainment, and two tastings per vineyard. 

Other vineyards expected at the event are Texas Legato Winery, Big Rock Winery, Seifert Cellars, Lucky Vines Winery, Bull Lion Vineyards, Maydelle Winery, and Rancho Loma Vineyards.

For more information about the wine festival, contact Tammie Virden at 800-484-1462, or order tickets at eventbrite.com.

Project Grad

Members of the Albany High School Class of 2020 will draw for the winner of a lottery ticket raffle during the parade.

Tickets for the raffle are $1 each or six for $5 and will be available prior to the parade.