The Town of Garner is pleased to announce its line-up of wonderful holiday events, which should delight children and adults of all ages. On Friday, Dec. 4, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. on Garner's Historic Main Street, join your neighbors and friends to “Light Up Main.” Garner’s Parks and Recreation Department has expanded its usual traditional community tree lighting ceremony to include an expanded holiday celebration that will provide an evening of entertainment, activities, food and fun. There will be something for everyone to enjoy and the festive activities will certainly fill everyone with the holiday spirit. The entire evening will present outstanding local entertainment presented by Smith Elementary, Miss Garner 2010, DanceZone, Dance Explosion, Poplar Springs Church Choir, Springfield Baptist Church Choir, Miss East Carolina Outstanding Teen, The Garner Senior Center Dancers, The Garner Magnet High School Dance Team and Carolers from True North Church. Special children's activities have been planned and will begin at 6 p.m. inside Santa's workshop (located inside the Sunny Side II Oyster Bar Building). Children will enjoy holiday craft activities and special appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Come enjoy the sights and sounds of the season as you stroll along Main Street. An art walk, hosted by Graffix House, will be available for viewing and unique gifts are available for purchase. Free refreshments will be provided by Salon on Main, Graffix House, The Garner Florist and Wake Baptist Grove Church. Other vendors will be available and will have handcrafts and various food items for sale. A special highlight of the evening will be the reading of the classic poem, "‘Twas the Night Before Christmas." At 7 p.m., the crowd will join together in the countdown to "Light Up Main" as Mayor Ronnie Williams prepares to "flip the switch" to illuminate areas of Main Street, the Garner Train Depot and Caboose and the Town Christmas Tree.

During this event, Main Street will be closed to through traffic between Emory and Purvis Streets. Plenty of public parking is available along parts of Main Street, in the Garner Baseball Parking lot, along Pearl Street and at the Pearl Street Building, at Garner Recreational Park and the Garner Senior Center.

The Town of Garner and the Garner Downtown Revitalization Association and downtown Main Street merchants are co-sponsoring this celebration event.

On Saturday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m., please join us again to continue our holiday celebration as we gather to enjoy the Garner Christmas Parade. "Inside Santa's Workshop" is the theme of this year’s parade and Tisha Powell, of ABC 11 News will serve as the Parade’s Grand Marshal.

More than 70 participants will be taking part in the parade, which will include area marching bands, floats, emergency vehicles, local merchants and of course, Santa Claus. Parade entries will be judged this year and awards presented to those who exhibit the best parade theme, creativity, parade spirit and for the best band performance.

This year, the parade will follow a slightly different parade route. The parade will begin on Broughton Street and will travel across Garner Road, down Highway 50 to the corner of Main, where it will turn left on Main Street and proceed until its ends at New Rand Road. The new route will be somewhat shorter, as it does not include Garner Road; however, the new route and traffic plan should allow easier access to and from this area to those viewing the parade and for parade participants.

The best viewing area for the parade will be on Main Street, with optimum viewing at the Grand Stand located between Purvis and Griffin Streets. Parade participants have already been notified of their place in the parade line-up and will gather at their assigned location at either the intersection of Avery and Broughton Streets or North Garner Middle School.

Plenty of public parking will be available along the shoulder of Garner Road, at the Garner Senior Center and Recreational Park, along New Rand Road and limited spaces along Main Street, with the exception of the area between Purvis and Griffin Streets. For those in need of handicap parking, limited spaces will be available along Pearl Street and at the Pearl Street Building.

The Town of Garner Parks and Recreation Department is happy to also offer two free Holiday Concerts for those who wish to continue enjoying the festive atmosphere later that afternoon and on Sunday.

Join the Raleigh Concert Band on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Garner Historic Auditorium for an afternoon of music and your favorite Christmas carols. For its more than 30 years of service, the band has been given the title "The State Capitol Band.” With musicians from all backgrounds and professions, the Raleigh Concert Band has gathered together with one important thing in common…making music. Doctors, salesmen, computer programmers, students, teachers, engineers, retirees and even one county extension agent perform together at such diverse locations as the N.C. Christmas tree lighting ceremony, the State Capitol's July 4 Celebration, and the Memorial Day service at Raleigh's National Cemetery.

The final event in the Town of Garner's weekend holiday celebration will be on Sunday, Dec. 6. You don’t want to miss, “Suzanne and Jim: Victorian Christmas.” Dressed in 19th Century caroler costumes, Suzanne and Jim sing old favorite melodies while accompanying themselves on guitar, sleigh bells, bodrhan, spoons, banjo, recorder, dulcimer, bowed psaltery, flute and penny whistle. While the music is wonderful for its own sake, Suzanne and Jim deftly interweave carefully researched information on how the Victorians rescued Christmas from Puritan suppression, bringing back old carols and creating new thus establishing a family holiday full of sentiment and good cheer. This free concert is brought to you in part by a grant from the Troubadour Aid Foundation, Inc. for touring artists who perform exclusively Traditional Americana Roots Music.

Start the season off with a song in your heart and the Christmas Spirit in your soul by joining us at these festive holiday events. If you would like more information on the “Light Up Main” event or on the Garner Christmas Parade, please contact Cherry Gay or Tara Gallagher at 919-772-4688. For more information on the concerts at the Garner Historic Auditorium, please contact Britt Crews at 919-661-4602.