Organizers and business owners are counting the days to Downtown Party Night on Thanksgiving weekend.
The event, sponsored by Crawfordsville Main Street, kicks off on Nov. 27 to celebrate Small Business Saturday. Downtown stores, restaurants and galleries open their doors that morning to holiday shoppers and community groups have special activities, topped off with a visit from Santa.
The Crawfordsville Board of Public Works and Safety on Wednesday approved the route for the traditional hayride operated by Oak Hill Farms. Riders will board the wagon on the north side of Pike Place and travel east to Water Street, north to Main Street, back east to Walnut Street and south to Pike Street.
Parking will be prohibited on the north side of Pike Street at Pike Place all day.
The board also approved the closure of the 100 block of East Main Street from 6 to 6:15 p.m. that evening for the annual tree lighting at the Montgomery County Courthouse.
Music will be provided by The Crescendos, The Brassmasters Quintet and Murdock Communications.
Other activities include The Santa Experience with Laken Wilcox Photography at Abbey Elaine Photography, the Festival of Trees at The Masonic Cornerstone, Lew Wallace Hoosier Author Fair on the third floor of Fusion 54, Library Lane on the fourth floor of Fusion and Humans United for Equality’s Holidays Around the World at Dance By Deborah.
There are also opportunities to donate items to those in need. The 2021 Strawberry Festival Court will hold a coat and winter gear drive at Marie Canine Plaza and FISH Food Pantry will collect nonperishable pantry items at participating downtown merchants. The FISH drive continues through Dec. 6.
Next to Milligan’s Flowers & Gifts, Volunteers for Mental Health in Montgomery County will also collect clothing and personal items for local care agencies.
More information about Party Night is available on Crawfordsville Main Street’s Facebook page.
In other board of works business, street commissioner Scott Hesler reported that leaf collection is continuing. Two leaf vacuums are running the routes.
“We are running in a grid pattern, so we will come back to your neighborhood,” Hesler said.
