The Chamber of Commerce and âThe Cliffsâ may be gone, but a new business coalition is forming in Custer County, and they have big plans for making Main Street âmerry and brightâ for the holÂiday season. Spearheaded initially by the Custer County Tourism Board, this group started meeting and planning back in August, and now there is a not only a whole schedule of events spanning the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Yearâs, but a concerted effort to get downtown businesses on board with fesÂtive decorations â including a wreath-decÂorating contest, which started in earnest last Saturday â designed to entice visitors, locals, and second-home owners alike to come to the Valley, and specifically to the towns, to celebrate a âsmall town ChristÂmasâ â and to eat, drink, be merry, and do their shopping with our local merchants.
With an infusion of cash in the form of $200 checks from the Town of Westcliffe to pay for daytime decorations, businesses along Main Street and 2nd and 3rd Streets in Westcliffe have been getting busy getÂting into the holiday spirit, festooning their shops with greenery and lights. To kick off the festivities, a grand street party is planned for âSmall Business Saturdayâ in Westcliffe on November 29. From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., there will be hamburgers and hot dogs grilling outside, live entertainment, a kidsâ painting party to make ornaments for the Christmas tree that is making its triumÂphant reappearance at 3rd and Main, and topping it off is a free movie at the Jones Theater, White Christmas, which will be showing at 5 p.m.
The following Saturday, December 6, there will be even more jollification, with Santa and Mrs. Claus touching down at the Silver Cliff Town Shop as well as at Ace Hardware (Santa is warming up the reindeer for their round-the-world flight later in the month, it would appear!). All manner of craft fairs will be happening as well, starting with the Friends of the Library. The Custer County Elementary School will hold its âFestival of Cheer.â The Sangres Art Guild will hold an openÂing for their holiday exhibit at the 3rd Street Gallery at 1 p.m.
Bear Pak Nâ Ship has stepped up to sponsor the parade, so plan to stop by their shop (across the street from the Post Office at 3 Bassick Place) to register your float or entry. The parade will be held at 5:30 p.m., followed by the big tree lighting at Jess Price Park, and then the Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts will host its annual staged reading of A Christmas Carol after the parade in the historic Jones Theater. There, the winners of the wreath contest will be announced â so, grab your scoreÂcards and plan to plunge into all the particÂipating shops for your chance at winning some fabulous prizes!
All in all, itâs going to be a packed December, and new events are being planned all the time, so the Tribune will be providing updates as they happen. Hereâs to the new business roundtableâs efforts to brighten our holiday season and âdrive the dull winter away!â
â Elliot Jackson
