Free entertainment set for downtown Corbin Saturday

By Becky Manley / Staff Writer

Singing, a puppet show and a parade are among the free entertainment that will be offered in downtown Corbin Saturday.

People who have attended the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade in prior years will see the return of many popular activities, according to Jeannie Hensley, parade organizer.

Hensley encourages everyone to attend, saying it is guaranteed to bring out the kid in everyone.

“I think they should come out and kickoff the Christmas season,” Hensley said.

The fun begins at 5 p.m. at Nibroc Park with singers from Poplar Grove Baptist Church and Emmanuel Baptist Church, Hensley said.

Santa Claus will visit with children at the park and children can also use the giant mailbox in the park to mail their wish lists to the Jolly Old Elf. Those letters with return addresses will get responses.

Children can also register for a six-foot Christmas stocking, Hensley said. The drawing will happen at 6:45 p.m. and hopeful registrants must be present to win.

Parade lineup begins at 6 p.m. at Corbin City Hall and the parade begins at 7 p.m.

The parade route runs north along Main Street to Gordon Street.

Although last-minute entrants will be accepted, Hensley said parade participants are encouraged to pre-register by calling the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce at 528-6390.

London looks to provide Yuletide cheer this weekend

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

Choirs, Christmas stories, hot chocolate, an orchestra, theatre, cider, a parade, tree-lighting, Santa Claus and a multitude of Yuletide cheer will overflow in London this weekend.

Christmas on Main, with the theme, “Christmas Around the World,” will kickoff Friday with the first annual Christmas Children’s Book Walk.

Stores in the downtown area will be open and every 30 minutes at 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., children may come in and hear the reading of a book.

Treats and door prizes will be given and children will be able to register to win one of two bicycles to be given away later at the farmer’s market following the parade.

From 5-6:30 p.m., musical groups will serenade visitors from the Laurel County Courthouse steps.

The parade will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and the community Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the farmer’s market will happen as Santa arrives in the parade.

To keep the participants and visitors warm, hot chocolate and cider will be available along the parade route as well as at the farmer’s market.

Opening at 8 p.m. Friday at Gusto Theatre will be “The Honeymurders,” an interactive murder-mystery musical comedy.

The show will run through Saturday.

Audience members who wish may get scripts and participate in the play, helping to solve the murders.

Saturday night, the annual London Community Orchestra Christmas Concert will begin at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church.

The concert, which has become a tradition in London, will include traditional seasonal music, such as “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Holy Night,” along with two selections from the “Nutcracker Ballet,” “March of the Nutcracker” and “Trepak.”

The orchestra presents three concerts a year, Christmas, Spring and a summer pops concert. It also presents a patriotic band concert on the Fourth of July.

Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., again at First Baptist Church, another community tradition is scheduled.

The Southeast Kentucky Community Chorus, formerly the London Community Chorus, which has presented Christmas concerts since the late 1960s, will perform such choral favorites as the Alfred Burt carol, “Some Children See Him,” “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” a medley of three Irving Berlin Christmas favorites and, in fact, most of the traditional Yuletide favorites.

The chorus includes members from London, Corbin, Manchester, Williamsburg, Jackson County and other surrounding communities.

A nursery will be available for small preschoolers.

Locations for the Children’s Book Walk Friday will be The Sentinel-Echo, Beautiful You Photography, Bob’s Ready-to-Wear, Body of Stone Fitness, The Gusto Theatre, Elegant Designs, Soothing Touch, The Carousel Florist, Cunnagin and Cunnagin Law Office, London Insurance and London-Laurel Chamber of Commerce.

Williamsburg parade to include cash raffle

By Adam S. Sulfridge

Staff Writer

Beginning Saturday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m., the city of Williamsburg will host its annual Christmas parade, which will immediately be followed by its Christmas caroling and ornament exchange in Bill Woods Park.

“We’re adding a new aspect to the parade,” said event coordinator Erin Mayes. “This year we’re adding a lottery to the parade, supported by the city, and we’ll be giving out $150 to those lucky enough to catch pieces of candy with raffle tickets on them, which our parade Grand Marshall, Bill Bryant of WKYT, will be throwing out,” she explained.

Mayes added, “We raised additional money so that we could add more Christmas characters to the parade, and, of course, Santa will be in the parade and then over at Bill Woods Park afterward… he’s also very excited to take some photos with local children and hear their wish lists.”

Following the parade, the Williamsburg Main Street Program will host its annual “Feels Like Home Christmas” celebration in Bill Woods Park, which is located just off Cumberland Avenue.

“As soon as the parade is over, we’ll have the community ornament exchange,” said Main Street Manager Nannie Hays. “You can bring an ornament, handmade or purchased, and you leave it in a bag with your name on it, and when the Christmas caroling is over, each ornament exchange participant picks up a bag with somebody else’s ornament. And if there’s a group which would like to sing during the caroling portion of the night, they can call 549-0530 and leave their information with Joyce Byrd of the tourism commission or myself.”

She also explained that locals are invited to place ornaments on downtown’s 30-foot-tall Christmas tree in honor and memory of loved ones. The tree, Hays said, was donated by Ron Shupe and his family.

Lastly, she encouraged residents and business owners to participate in the decorating contests. “It’s fun to get creative so if you’d like to participate in our residential or business decorating contests, you can come by city hall to fill out a registration form or you may call 549-6036 to register over the phone.”

According to Hays, this will be the fifth year Williamsburg has hosted Feels Like Home Christmas events.