Winesburg Christmas in Clyde will return the weekend of Dec. 5 to Dec. 7, 2008 with many of the annual favorite activities including the Friday night Santa Parade and horse-drawn wagon rides.
The traditional holiday weekend will be adding some spice to its Friday night events with the addition of a Winesburg Chili Cook-off hosted by Croghan Colonial Bank at Main and Buckeye. “Right now I’m looking for people who will be chili cooks,” explained Croghan Colonial bank manager Carolyn Farrar. The event is being supported by high school students as an Empty Bowls for Hunger event. There is a $10 entry fee and entry forms will be available at Clyde High School, Croghan Colonial in Clyde, The Clyde Enterprise office and at the Clyde Public Library. Forms must be filled out and returned to Croghan by Nov. 15. For information on registering call 419-547-9525. “We definitely want this to be fun,” Farrar commented. Last year during the Santa Parade, the local bank gave out free coffee and Farrar saw the large crowd. She then began considering another event that could capitalize on the people visiting downtown and also benefit a local agency. “I came up with the idea with a great spot with hundreds of people,” she said. With the participation of the Clyde High School Art Department, Croghan is hosting the chili cook-off starting at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 to raise funds for the Clyde Back Door Food Pantry. It will be a revival of an “Empty Bowls” event for the art students, which for several years held a bowl art auction. CHS art students this time will be designing 50 original bowls that will be sold in the bank lobby the night of the parade. Those wishing to taste the chili from the competitors entering must purchase an art bowl at $20 to use or pay a $4 fee for a disposable bowl. Those entering their chili to be judged must remain at the contest while the chili is served. A panel of judges will rate the top chili and the public too will vote on its favorite chili. Farrar said she is hoping for at least 10 chili contestants to enter the first time contest, which will be in the plaza in front of the bank. Farrar added that some details have yet to be determined including what the prize for the top chili will be. One of the important points of the contest will be that students will be sharing information about hunger in America during the competition and a second point is that funds raised will go to the local food pantry, she said.
The local branch manager said that the art bowls would be on display prior to Winesburg Weekend in her lobby and at other locations in the community.
Other changes this year at Winesburg Weekend will include new emcees. David Weitrich and Frank Weasner of WHVT radio (Harvest Baptist Temple) will be the emcees and the parade will be broadcast live on Dec. 5.
Christmas Lane is also switching its display to a Christmas Wreath Competition for youths and adults in the area, according to chairwoman Karen Sawyer. The wreath competition will be on display in a new room – the council chambers of the Clyde City Building throughout that weekend. A $1 donation to see the display will still benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. To enter the wreath competition call 419-547-0235.
Also new, the Hospice of Memorial Hospital will be holding its Love Lights Lighting at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 .
The Toledo Symphony will return to the Clyde High School Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. Tickets are on sale at the Clyde-Green Springs School board office or by calling 419-547-0588 for details. All seats are reserved.
For contest and Santa Parade application forms and a schedule of Winesburg events go to www.clydebpa.org.
- Fremont/Sandusky County Convention & Visitors Bureau | 712 North St., Suite 102 | Fremont, OH 43420
carol@sanduskycounty.org | www.sanduskycounty.org | 419-332-4470 No Comments »