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Corsicana Mayor Chuck McClanahan

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October 5, 2012

A great place to live

By Chuck McClanahan Mayor of Corsicana The Corsicana Daily Sun Fri Oct 05, 2012, 10:31 PM CDT

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With the chill of fall in the air and holiday gift giving right around the corner, now is a great time to enjoy shopping in downtown Corsicana. A number of events are on tap to get shoppers strolling and to allow downtown merchants to highlight their offerings.

Saturday, Oct. 13 marks not only the beginning of Main Street’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival, featuring the Great Pumpkin Patch, but also the debut of the monthly Second Saturday Sidewalk Sale. Participating downtown merchants will display special items and prices on the sidewalk in front of their stores. Main Street encourages creativeness in their store fronts and will recognize the best decorative display for this month’s Pumpkin Walk theme.

Thousands of pumpkins will cover the grounds of the Corsicana Visitor Center by Saturday morning, with sales beginning at 10 a.m. Family movie night, featuring "It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and "Alvin & the Chipmunks" short films will begin at 7:30 p.m .in the Pace Warehouse parking lot beside the Visitor Center. The City is excited to present the screening of the new downtown revitalization and tourism videos at the beginning of the evening. The tourism video may be viewed anytime on the City of Corsicana website.

Regular patch hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, through Nov. 3. During this time frame, each Wednesday at 10 a.m., the Corsicana Public Library will host special story time in the patch for kids 3-5 years of age.

Pumpkin Palooza! returns to the patch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, with decorating demonstrations, barrel train rides, face painting, story time, a Corsicana fire engine, a bounce house sponsored by VOICE, Inc., and more throughout the day.

Another family movie night in the Pace parking lot will feature "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and more "Alvin & the Chipmunks" short films on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. The Downtown Trick-or-Treat takes place from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, with giveaways, games, contests and activities, including the Wally’s Party Factory Costume Contest. New this year, the Corsicana Parks and Recreation Department’s "Boo Ride" will make pickups at the Pocket Park throughout the event and travel through the downtown area.

A final opportunity to enjoy the pumpkins will be the Pumpkin Harvest Craft Fair and the Remember When Classic Car Show on Saturday, Nov. 3. Vendors will offer quality, hand-crafted items, and many of the downtown district’s eateries will feature special pumpkin cuisine that day also.

The following week, on Saturday, Nov. 10, participating downtown merchants will "Give Thanks by Giving Back" with Second Saturday Sidewalk Sale specials hosting their own canned food drives. Bring some cans and find some deals.

Friday, Nov. 30 brings the traditional Downtown Open House and Lighting Celebration hosted by the Main Street and Parks & Recreation departments, featuring extended hours at many businesses and the annual lighting of the downtown Christmas lights for all to enjoy. The following night, Saturday, Dec. 1, the return of the Parade of Lights will begin around sundown. Also, the jolly ol’ man himself makes an appearance at Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 8, at Shall We Dance Studio, located at 118 South Beaton. A Victorian Christmas is the theme of the Second Saturday Sidewalk Sale that day, with carolers and period characters scattered about throughout the day.

For over a hundred years, downtown was the heart of Corsicana. Today, there’s a growing sentiment that a vibrant downtown is vital to the economic success of the city. I hope you’ll join me in enjoying many of these fall events downtown, and while you’re there, stop in and rediscover our downtown merchants. You may be surprised at what you find!

Regards,

Chuck McClanahan

Mayor

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