It’s official.

Tuesday, November 21, 2000

It’s official.

Austin Mayor Bonnie Besse Rietz has proclaimed Friday as Christmas in the City Day.

The mayor and Sandy Forstner, executive director of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, were joined by popular Christmas characters, Santa Claus and an assistant, Merry Elf, as well as comedian and magician Jim Jayes in making the announcement at a Monday morning news conference at Town Center.

The proclamation composed and read by the mayor captured the holiday spirit in the legalese of Austin officialdom: "Whereas the holidays are traditionally a time of joy and good will, a celebration of family and community, and whereas the city has been decorated throughout with festive holiday lights and trimmings in anticipation of the season and whereas the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce has organized an event – Christmas in the City – to celebrate the official start of the holiday season; and whereas the event will feature a cast of colorful holiday characters, including Santa Claus, Santa’s elves and Frosty the Snowman, and whereas a variety of activities, including a Christmas parade, are planned to entertain people of all ages throughout the evening in downtown Austin, do hereby proclaim Friday to be Christmas in the City Day."

The events are scheduled 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in downtown Austin. The mayor and a child friend, Courtney Fleming, will join Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, plus other Christmas characters, in front of blocked-off Main Street North at Bonnie’s Hallmark Store for a parade to the Mower County Courthouse, where the holiday lights will be illuminated. All children joining the parade will be given a light-stick luminary for the parade.

Throughout the evening, there will be various activities, including the Festival of Wreaths and music at the Paramount Theatre, live modeling in the windows at Belles & Beaus and Gretchen’s, open houses at Gretchen’s and Heart of the North, free sleigh rides, strolling elves distributing free popcorn balls, open houses at many downtown businesses, walking art tours sponsored by the Austin Art Group and more.

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will greet children with free candy canes in the lower level at Town Center, the North Star Brass Quartet and String Trio will entertain also in the Town Center building and the Jim Jayes Marionette Show also will entertain children and others at Town Center.

The Ecumenical Bell Ensemble will play holiday music at Town Center and SoundTronics Productions and Imagery Sound will provide music up and down Main Street North.

The Austin branch of Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Blooming Prairie will have an open house with coffee, cookies, hot cider and music and face painting by Children’s Matchbox Theater volunteers. Uptown Hair will host free hot chocolate sponsored by the Mower County American Dairy Association.

Business owner and Chamber board member Gretchen Ramlo said the true meaning of Christmas is not going ignored in Austin.

"For the second year, children from Lisa Deyo’s fourth-grade class at Southgate Elementary School and the Apple Lane child care and preschool will decorate shopping bags that then will be turned over to the Salvation Army for use in the distribution of Christmas food baskets to the needy," Ramlo said.

Forstner called the events "a celebration of community," adding, "We want to spread goodwill and ask people to join us from Austin and the surrounding area."

When the Christmas in the City opening night schedule is complete, the celebration continues with events throughout the city, featuring a lighting contest and bus tour among other events.

Registration for the Chamber’s lighting contest must be done by Dec. 8. The annual City of Lights bus tour takes place Dec. 19.

For more information, call the Chamber office at 437-4561.