Brittany Kelley
MOUNTAIN CITY — Residents of Mountain City can have their own slice of the holidays early by visiting A Small Town Christmas Saturday, Nov. 22.
The event, hosted by Loving Mountain City (LMC), is a first, said founder Amy Haffelder, who began the organization 17 years ago in an effort to provide activities for the many new families moving into the growing town.
Historically, the organization hosted an annual fundraiser in December, but, due to the busy nature of the holidays, they traded it in for a spring time slot and, instead, will be hosting A Small Town Christmas in its place.
“We [will] have Santa and the Grinch and local, small town vendors,” she said. “We just thought it would be a good way to bring everybody together right as the holidays are kicking off.”
The founder shared that, often, vendors from the surrounding areas are calling and asking how they can come to Mountain City and serve its residents, so this was the perfect solution, especially since they usually gain regular customers.
Additionally, Haffelder noted that there are no businesses within the city limits, so this is an opportunity to “do our holiday shopping in our backyard.” This will include opportunities to purchase baked goods from Lily&Rose, aromatherapy products from Moonlit Botanica Wellness, scarf necklaces from Marley Jane, Texas-themed products from Texas Eclectic Creations and care bundles from Sun Rae Bundles.
While there are currently five vendors signed up for the event, she stated that there is a form that can be accessed through their Facebook page. Booths require a $25 donation to LMC, if signed up before Nov. 15, or a $35 donation until Nov. 20.
Guests can also expect photo opportunities, free hot cocoa, s’mores, arts and crafts and more.
Creating this event is not only a way to bring vendors to the area, but also for the community to get involved with one another. Haffelder said that more than 10 volunteers gathered to display lights on city hall, allowing the city to host its inaugural lighting of the building.
“When I got here and started [this organization] 17 years ago, I did it because my children were very young and there weren’t any activities for them. Now, I’m a grandma and I’m getting to see it from the other end and I see these other young families coming in and the children play and get to know each other and create that sense of unity,” Haffelder said. “[So,] we definitely hope to continue [growing the event]. We’ve talked about maybe doing some more activities [and] to expand the lighting experience.”
A Small Town Christmas will be hosted from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Mountain City Field, behind city hall, located at 101 Mountain City Drive.
For more information on LMC or A Small Town Christmas, visit bit.ly/480hh5k.
