Main Street Fayette’s (MSF) 2021 Downtown Live event on Friday was a success with record high attendance, according to MSF President McKenna Brown.
“Downtown Washington Court House truly looked as if it was a scene from a hallmark movie,” explained Brown via email. “Families flooded the streets and shops, laughter filled the air with the addition of sleigh bells, Christmas music and the sound of horse hooves on the pavement! Terrie’s Dance Spectrum Praise performed a Christmas dance, and churches of Washington Court House (WCH) all congregated on the courthouse lawn to sing Christmas Carols. It truly was a magical night.”
Like previous years, Downtown Live featured pictures with Santa (in the city administration building), live mannequins and Christmas-themed shop windows, live performances by the SupaFun Band, local food trucks and pop-up vendors.
New this year was the first ever “Kids Zone.” According to Brown, for $5 a child was given a wrist band which gave them access to all bounce houses, a trackless train ride, horse and carriage ride, a balloon artist and a hot dog. There were 244 children registered at the Kids Zone.
Children also had the opportunity to participate in the downtown scavenger hunt for free. There were 341 children that completed this scavenger hunt.
“The scavenger hunt consisted of finding eight Christmas themed signs that were placed throughout the downtown district. Once all were found, the children were able to place their scavenger hunt card in front of a prize of their choosing. The prize choices were an iPad, hover-board, kids-ride-on Four-wheeler, indoor basketball hop game and an infant tunnel and ball pit. The drawing took place at 7:30 p.m. and all winners were contacted,” wrote Brown.
Brown credited community participation for the event’s success.
She wrote, “I want to give a huge shout out to everyone who helped and volunteered during this event: the City of WCH Service and Street Department, Merchants National Bank of WCH, Miami Trace and Washington Court House Swim Teams, Carnegie Public Library and members of the Main Street Fayette Board. It takes months of planning and organizing, and none of it would have happened without these amazing volunteers.”
Downtown Live will continue next year.
Brown explained, “MSF and Fayette County Travel and Tourism will continue to host the Downtown Live Christmas event to encourage the community to come together for the holiday season and support local. It is such a great time of year for fellowship, laughs and supporting of local businesses. This year was extra special getting to see the children in the community all come together and have fun, socialize and see Santa! We hope to keep expanding this downtown event for many years to come.”
Reach journalist Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.
