This year's Christmas Market Festival is shaping up to be the biggest we have had since starting in 2003! The theme for this year's market is "An Old Fashioned Christmas." The weekend will get kicked off with the Miss Merry Christmas Pageant on Friday night, Dec. 1 in the auditorium at Eupora High School.
In addition a reservation-only dinner will be that night at the Magnolia Tea Room. Dinner will be served between 6:30 and 7 p.m., and there will be live entertainment. Reservations need to be made by Nov. 28. Reservations may be made by calling 258-3431.
Starting on Friday and going through Saturday, Juanita King at Remember When ... will be offering a special Christmas package of pictures. There will be a $5 sitting fee. You want to be sure and call 258-3235 to schedule your appointment.
Saturday will be a full day with lots of activities taking place throughout the day. Children will get an opportunity to have Breakfast with Santa in the Family Life Center at the First Baptist Church. Tickets are being sold for $5 per person and will be available at the First Baptist Church, the Webster County Development Council office, La De Da and Eupora Jewelry & Gifts. All proceeds will go to support the youth programs at the church.
The vendor booths will be open from 8 until 5 on Saturday and this year a wide variety of merchandise will be for sale by the vendors. If you are interested in having a booth, you may contact the WCDC at 258-7835. A listing of the vendors and their locations will be available at the Depot.
Christmas Market Festival T-shirts will be sold to support the Hal Whitaker Endowment, which provides a scholarship to help a Webster County resident going into the medical field. Designs for the shirt were submitted by students in Lisa Hester's art classes, and the winners are Christa Hudson from East Webster High School and Lindsey Hester from Eupora High School.
The shirts will be available in Youth and Adult sizes, and will sell for $15 and $20. If you would like to pre-order a shirt or shirts you may do so by contacting the WCDC at 258-7835. Shirts will also be available for purchase the day of the market.
Once again the Webster County Public Library will be having "The Polar Express" for the children at various times during the day. Another extra special treat for the kids will be Uncle Bunky, who will be entertaining the children in-between "The Polar Express." Entertainment will be taking place throughout the day. A schedule will be run in the paper before the market and I hope that you will plan to come and be a part of all the activity.
The day will culminate with the Christmas Parade starting at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in entering a float is encourage to contact Bert Parish at 258-7740. The theme for the parade will be in keeping with the Christmas Market Festival theme - "An Old Fashioned Christmas." Between 5 and 7, there will be entertainment and the Eastern Star will be selling Brunswick stew.
WCDC meeting
The Webster County Development Council did not have its regularly scheduled meeting this month because of the fact that it would have been the same week as Thanksgiving. The next meeting of the council will be our annual business meeting in January.
Membership Drive
It's hard to believe but it is that time of year. From now until the end of January the Development Council will be conducting its annual membership drive. The purpose of the Webster County Development Council is to promote community and economic development and it takes all of us working together to bring that change about. If you want to see Webster County grow and prosper, you can become an active partner in making that happen by becoming a member of the WCDC.
If you were not a member this year I hope that you will decide to join the Webster County Development Council.
To join all you need to do is complete a membership application and mail it back with your dues to the Webster County Development Council; P.O. Box 542; Eupora, MS 39744. If you were a member this year, I will be sending out a dues notice to you. Membership runs January through December.
Some of the programs that your dues have helped support this year have been:
The project to restore rail service to Webster County. ARC grant secured for a feasibility study to be conducted to determine the economic feasibility of refurbishing the rail line and to look at the consequences of not reopening the line.
The formation of a Council of Government and the strategic planning conducted in each of the municipalities and with the Board of Supervisors.
Retail marketing efforts which included the formation of a retail marketing team, the development of retail marketing pieces and participation in the International Council of Shopping Centers Southeastern Conference to recruit retail.
Additional marketing efforts promoting Webster County as a great place to live and work.
The purchase of the Doss Building for the Webster Made Market project.
The start-up of the farmers market this past summer.
Conducting an industry survey to determine how the Webster County Development Council can better serve our existing industry.
The second Spring Garden Show that was held in Mathiston.
The new county map that should be out by the end of December.
Support for the Small Municipalities and Limited Population Grant program that resulted in the Webster County Board of Supervisors obtaining $150,000 to help get the intersection of Highway 82 and 9 lighted.
Work on the signage project to provide uniform signs for the county and communities throughout Webster County. More than half of the signs have been completed and work to get these signs installed has begun.
Conducted a Fall Decoration Contest throughout the county. Participants were from Bellefontaine, Eupora, Mantee, Mathiston and Walthall.
The 4th Annual Christmas Market Festival that will be taking place the first weekend in December.
Happy Holidays
The holiday season starting with Thanksgiving is a time for families. A time to reflect on all the many things we have to be thankful for - family, friends and being able to live in a country where we have so many freedoms.
This Christmas during all of the hustle and bustle I hope you will take time and read "The Christmas Story" to your children so they will know the true meaning of Christmas.
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
Wilson is executive director of the Webster County Development Council.
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