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Osceola Chamber-Main Street presents Osceola’s annual Holiday Brilliance celebration on Saturday, Nov. 26, with an afternoon filled with activities on and around the downtown square, coinciding with Shop Small Saturday.
Holiday Brilliance
Santa’s Workshop will take place 1 to 5 p.m. in the former Robinson’s Building on the east side of the square. Inside will be found a Mayberry’s second annual gingerbread house contest (contestants must supply their own gingerbread house), letter writing to Santa, and crafts for kids.
Santa will be at the Santa House on the south side of the courthouse square from 1 to 4:30 p.m. to greet children and hear wish lists. His reindeer will be on deck from 1 to 3, and visitors can take pictures with them.
New this year is Fill the Sleigh, where people can leave donations to be distributed to local food pantries from 1 to 5 p.m. The sleigh will be located in the northwest corner of the Fareway parking lot near Friday Insurance.
The lighted Christmas parade begins at 5 p.m. Interested participants are invited to line up beginning at 4:45 going west on Cass Street by First Christian Church.
Free, mule team wagon rides will be going on around the square from 4 to 7 p.m.
Shop Small Saturday
Nov. 26 is also Shop Small Saturday, known nationwide as Small Business Saturday, and will take place with local small businesses from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express, as a way to help small businesses gain exposure as well as encourage people to shop locally within their communities. In 2011, a resolution was passed in the U.S. Senate to recognize Small Business Saturday. By shopping local, consumers are helping both their local retailers and themselves by not having to travel to larger cities.
A report by American Express stated that consumers have spent more than an estimated $120 billion at small business over the past ten years on Small Business Saturday.
The day’s events are sponsored by Community 1st Credit Union.