With the holidays fast approaching, the Newton Chamber of Commerce recently announced their 2024 lineup of Christmas events that are sure to get everyone in a festive mood.
While most of the Christmas fun are annual events, such as the Tree Lighting, Christmas Parade, and Angel Tree, there have been some important changes being made this year, with a new event sure to make your day merry and bright.
Christmas Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade
For the past few years, Newton has held its Christmas Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade on separate nights. This year, the two events are combined into one evening: Dec. 5 at 6:00 P.M. Chamber Executive Director Ashley Massey said that they chose to combine the two to make it much easier for families to attend.
“In the past we’ve held both events on two separate nights, but my goal was to combine the tree lighting and parade to make it a larger event and make it much easier for families to come to one event,” said Massey. “We’ll start the parade by counting down and lighting the Christmas Tree. Once we light the Christmas tree, then the parade will start.”
There are also two other changes to the 2024 Newton Christmas Parade, beginning with officials asking that no one park their vehicles on the parade route in Downtown Newton.
“We’re asking that there not be any parking on Main Street in front of the buildings. We’re going to try to rope that off so that viewers will have a place to stand and watch,” said Massey. “If you are older or handicapped and can’t walk up the side streets to the parade route, Mr. Steve Dixon is allowing handicap parking at the old hospital parking lot.”
Another change to the Christmas Parade will be its route. While the parade will still begin at Newton High School and make its way up Main Street in Downtown Newton, this year the parade route will go all the way up Main Street and make a left on Richardson Avenue, and then turn left onto Scanlan Street and back towards the school. The purpose for the route change is so those in the parade lineup can make their way back to the Depot, along with parade watchers for this years new event.
The Christmas Celebration, will be free and open to the public.
“Right after the parade, we’re inviting everyone to come down to the Depot for a Christmas Celebration. There will be food trucks set up in the parking lot selling food, we’ll have Santa and Mrs. Clause set up in the gazebo for pictures, and we’ll have entertainment set up behind the depot, including those that participate in the parade,” Massey said.
Other entertainers for the evening will be ECCC’s Collegian’s, L.A. Dance, the Stepper’s in Motion as well as a few other local entertainers.
Massey added that they’re still working on other activities to provide during the celebration, but said there will be hot chocolate, and a tent set up for families to make Christmas cards that will be delivered to local nursing homes and veterans.
Tour of Trees
Another new event this year will be the Tour of Trees at the Historic McElroy-Hoye House. It is scheduled for Dec. 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., where visitors will be able to tour the home and the many Christmas trees that have been decorated in their own specific way by several businesses, organizations, schools, and families from the area.
“Right now, we’re up to seventeen Christmas trees that have been decorated. The event is going to be a night-time gala and donations will be taken to raise funds for the McElroy-Hoye House,” Massey said. “It will be a self-guided tour and we’ll have live musicians playing.”
If you’re not able to make the gala, small group tours are encouraged for a charge of $1 per person. Individuals or groups who are interested can contact Kim Henley at 601-934-6774 or the Newton Chamber at 601-683-2201 to line up a tour.
With the addition of the Tour of Trees, Massey said that she’s excited for the community and visitors to see all the Christmas fun that Newton has to offer.
“We welcome everybody to come down and enjoy our great small town in a family fun environment,” said Massey.
Shop Local Newton
In years past, Shop Local Newton was a weekend where the Chamber promoted shopping at the various participating Newton businesses by allowing shoppers to enter drawings for cash prizes. This year, the event will be extended to two full weeks: December 6-20. Another new feature with Shop Local Newton in 2024 will be a Holiday Guide, provided by the Chamber.
“It will have all of the local holiday events posted in there, as well as all the participating businesses and all that they offer,” Massey said. “It will list businesses who may be having special sales, and some may have things that are only available at the store. It will also include gift ideas for men and women,”
Massey added that she hopes to have the 2024 Holiday Guides available the week of Thanksgiving and they could be picked up at all the local banks, the post office, Newton City Hall, and the chamber office at the Depot.
Salvation Army Angel Tree
Last, but not least, the Newton Chamber has partnered with the Salvation Army to kick off their 2024 Angel Tree program, their annual effort to help children have a wonderful Christmas.
According to Massey, they started off with 29 angels and currently have 18 left.
“All of the Angels on our tree are ages 12 and under and they’re all local children,” she said. “It’s helping some of our local families that, otherwise, wouldn’t a Christmas celebration that some families have. Any little bit helps!”
Any business, family, or individual that would like to come by the Depot to pick an Angel from the tree are welcomed. Each Angel tag tells you the first name, their age, their sex, a list of things that they wish for Christmas, and their clothing sizes. Massey said that if anyone is uncomfortable shopping for Angel items, a donation will be accepted, and she would use that money to shop for that Angel.
All Angel gifts are due back to the Depot by December 9.
