Downtown Effingham Hometown Christmas is this Saturday

The Downtown Effingham Business Group (DEBG) and McHugh Hospitality Group/Hampton Inn & Suites invite you to the Downtown Effingham Hometown Christmas to share in Christmas traditions and family fun with a day full of activities for the young and young at heart.

Downtown will be transformed into a winter wonderland on Saturday, December 3 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and will be packed full of activities.

The Mistletoe Market will return to this year's event. Many vendors and artisans will be in the Holiday Tent offering a variety of gift and food items on Saturday from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Hot chocolate, coffee, and kettle corn, along with food, treats and drinks will be available for sale as well. Before Santa's arrival on Saturday, attendees can Sip n’ Shop at the XCHNG from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. then head over to the Old Courthouse Lawn to enjoy a photo op with LIVE reindeer from Dahnke Farms and special holiday characters. There will be music, horse-drawn carriage rides, Christmas cookie decorating, children's tractor-pulled train rides, and other family-friendly activities throughout the afternoon.

The Centenary United Methodist Church will also host a live nativity display from 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

If you love parades and are in the holiday spirit, be sure to welcome Santa as he joins a Lighted Christmas Parade beginning at 5:00 p.m. The Lighted Christmas Parade is new to this year's event and will travel down Jefferson Avenue, bringing Santa to his house on the Old Courthouse Square. Effingham County businesses are welcome and encouraged to participate in the parade – limited spots!

The official City of Effingham Community Christmas Tree Lighting will also be held on Saturday evening and will take place on the Old Courthouse Lawn. The St. Anthony Intermediate Choir will be performing at 5:30 pm with the official lighting of the tree taking place immediately after.

Businesses helping to brighten this year’s event include McHugh Hospitality Group/Hampton Inn & Suites, Effingham Builders Supply, Heartland Dental, HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Linders Limited LLC-Blake & Laura Linders, Premier Broadcasting, Washington Savings Bank, Al’s Tire Mart & Electronics, Brookstone Estates Effingham, The Heart Theatre, Southtown Car Wash, Tracy Willenborg, Layna Bond, Effingham Performance Center, XCHNG, Kirby Foods IGA, The Royal School of Cosmetology, University of Illinois Master Gardeners, and FACE Christmas Orchestra.

More information about Effingham Hometown Christmas and participating in the Lighted Parade can be found online at EffinghamCountyChamber.com/Events and on Facebook @ExperienceDowntownEffingham