The holidays are approaching and the City of Livingston has a full slate of activities in store for the community, according to Special Events/Main Street Manager Lynn Riley who recently reviewed the upcoming events for the Rotary Club of Livingston.
Riley began with the city in February 2011 as a seasonal employee. After expressing her desire to go fulltime with the city, she did just that in September 2014, first becoming fulltime as a floater, then trade days and the library and then becoming trade days, special events, Main Street and pool supervisor.
She mentioned the ongoing “Fall into Small” campaign in which everyone is encouraged to visit participating shops this fall and shop locally and shop small businesses. There are several opportunities to, including Shop Small Passports, Livingston Trade Days Nov. 14-15, Pink Friday on Nov. 20 and Shop Small Saturday on Nov. 28.
The city’s annual lighting ceremony which officially kicks off the holiday season is slated for 6 p.m. Nov. 24 at Livingston City Hall. Celebrate the sights and sounds of the holidays as downtown is transformed into a winter wonderland of lights. Music will be presented by the Central Baptist Church Children’s Choir. There are usually light refreshments in addition to photo opportunities with Christmas characters.
The Nov. 24 lighting ceremony also kicks off Christmas at the Park, the drive-thru tour of the lighted displays at Pedigo Park in which you may experience the wonder of Christmas by taking a drive through the park to enjoy the lighted holiday figures and thousands of Christmas lights on display that are constructed by city employees. The lights at Pedigo Park remain on through Dec. 31.
The City of Livingston’s special events department will present a scavenger hunt starting Nov. 24 in which Rufus the Elf will hide at locations across Livingston. Check the Livingston, Texas Trade Days Facebook page or visitlivingstontexas.com for clues and rules. Find Rufus for a chance to win Christmas gift cards.
The Polk County Memorial Museum and Polk County Historical Commission are presenting The Parade of Trees which will be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 24, Dec. 1-4, Dec. 8-11, Dec. 12 and Dec. 15-18 at the Polk County Memorial Museum.
First Baptist Church of Livingston will present A Walk Through Bethlehem at 6 p.m. Dec. 4-6 at Pedigo Park in which attendees make the journey to Bethlehem, a realistic depiction of what the small Judean town may have looked like 2,000 years ago.
The Polk County Garden Club invites everyone to visit Santa at Miss Effie’s Cottage from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 11 at 201 W. Mill St. Children are encouraged to bring their Santa letters.
Livingston Hometown Christmas which brings people from near and far is slated for noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 12 in downtown Livingston and will include arts, crafts, food and gift vendors, live entertainment and a free kids area that will offer face painting, a photo booth, a holiday dry slide and robo-snowboarding. Riley said 220 vendors will be there.
Registration for the annual Jingle Bell Fun Run & Walk is available through Dec. 11 at the Trade Days Office at Pedigo Park. The one-mile race will start at 11:15 a.m. and the two-mile race and 5K will start at noon, both at Livingston City Hall. According to Riley, over 500 people participated in the Jingle Bell Fun Run & Walk last year.
Livingston Hometown Christmas culminates with the annual lighted Christmas parade which starts at 6 p.m. on Dec. 12. The parade grows a little each year, with Riley reporting that there were 154 entries in last year’s parade.
The Polk County Heritage Society will have the Christmas Train Village on display at Good Golly Miss Molly’s located at 406 N. Washington on the following dates: 5-7 p.m. Nov. 27-28; noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 29; 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 3-5; noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 6; 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 10-11; noon to 8 p.m. on Dec. 12; noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 13; 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 17-19; noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 20; 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 26; and noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 27. Admission is free but donations are accepted.
