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ENLARGE
Rick Dentino
Executive Director
Fallon Chamber of Commerce
The other day a neighbor queried, “OK Rick. So, where do we go from here?”
The “we” she referred to was the Chamber of Commerce, of course. And I presume the “from here” meant winter and beyond.
I directed her to consider our downtown district and all it offers. She countered with a reminder to me that Maine Street has a checkered history of successes, semi-successes and some very “non.” Street fairs and sales gimmicks sometimes draw rave reviews from locals, but get the cold shoulder from vendors and shopkeepers. Other times sellers love the idea only to find the events panned by potential customers because they didn't care for what was being vended. And that's just in recent memory.
But the love/hate relationship with downtown events is a matter of record with the advent of the newly formed Downtown Merchants Association. They and the Chamber are philosophically on the same page.
Aha. But there is one reoccurring event that has been successful in the minds of both business community and locals alike, especially the kids. For the past 11 years Fallon's uniquely small town, but All-American celebration of the Christmas holidays has been an undeniable winner. The annual marriage of the Chamber and city of Fallon on the first weekend of each December promises this year to be the best ever. The combining of the traditional lighting of Fallon's Christmas Tree, followed the next day by “Hometown Christmas” will jump start the season “for kids of all ages.”
Since the city has recently completed Phase III of its downtown's beautification project, a “cast of thousands” will be treated to a parade of lights down Maine Street following the tree lighting. There will be phony snow blowing around, but don't tell the little ones that. They know that stuff is real and came straight from the North Pole!
The following morning on Dec. 5, vendors and business owners alike will be setting up shop from Williams Avenue to Richards Street … a full city block farther than ever before!
At that point my aghast neighbor asked if the world had gone mad. I told her that I believe it had, but that had no bearing on Hometown Christmas, pointing out that its time had simply come. Twice as many vendors as the result of a very ambitious recruitment program, many more fixed businesses remaining open all day, along with all the event's usual features with a handful of new twists thrown in. Expect a striking Navy presence too, complimenting this year's theme of “Remembering the Military at Christmas.”
It's the Chamber's “give back” to the community's youth. Most everything at no cost. Hopefully the laundry list of events will keep the children busy long enough for their parents to shop the stores and street vendors, getting a leg up on their gift lists. (Devilishly cleaver, eh what?) Point is, while we wait out these crummy economic times; in the spirit of the season and with an eye toward “Checking Fallon First,” we are committed to energizing Hometown Christmas No.12 to new heights. It's about hometown pride and a throwback to happier times with family.
My neighbor headed back to her house, the LVN under her arm and shaking her head in disbelief. But heck, that's all for show. She'll be out there on our two-block long walking mall with her kids in tow on the 5th, smiling like there's no tomorrow.
Neighbors, Geez!
The “we” she referred to was the Chamber of Commerce, of course. And I presume the “from here” meant winter and beyond.
I directed her to consider our downtown district and all it offers. She countered with a reminder to me that Maine Street has a checkered history of successes, semi-successes and some very “non.” Street fairs and sales gimmicks sometimes draw rave reviews from locals, but get the cold shoulder from vendors and shopkeepers. Other times sellers love the idea only to find the events panned by potential customers because they didn't care for what was being vended. And that's just in recent memory.
But the love/hate relationship with downtown events is a matter of record with the advent of the newly formed Downtown Merchants Association. They and the Chamber are philosophically on the same page.
Aha. But there is one reoccurring event that has been successful in the minds of both business community and locals alike, especially the kids. For the past 11 years Fallon's uniquely small town, but All-American celebration of the Christmas holidays has been an undeniable winner. The annual marriage of the Chamber and city of Fallon on the first weekend of each December promises this year to be the best ever. The combining of the traditional lighting of Fallon's Christmas Tree, followed the next day by “Hometown Christmas” will jump start the season “for kids of all ages.”
Since the city has recently completed Phase III of its downtown's beautification project, a “cast of thousands” will be treated to a parade of lights down Maine Street following the tree lighting. There will be phony snow blowing around, but don't tell the little ones that. They know that stuff is real and came straight from the North Pole!
The following morning on Dec. 5, vendors and business owners alike will be setting up shop from Williams Avenue to Richards Street … a full city block farther than ever before!
At that point my aghast neighbor asked if the world had gone mad. I told her that I believe it had, but that had no bearing on Hometown Christmas, pointing out that its time had simply come. Twice as many vendors as the result of a very ambitious recruitment program, many more fixed businesses remaining open all day, along with all the event's usual features with a handful of new twists thrown in. Expect a striking Navy presence too, complimenting this year's theme of “Remembering the Military at Christmas.”
It's the Chamber's “give back” to the community's youth. Most everything at no cost. Hopefully the laundry list of events will keep the children busy long enough for their parents to shop the stores and street vendors, getting a leg up on their gift lists. (Devilishly cleaver, eh what?) Point is, while we wait out these crummy economic times; in the spirit of the season and with an eye toward “Checking Fallon First,” we are committed to energizing Hometown Christmas No.12 to new heights. It's about hometown pride and a throwback to happier times with family.
My neighbor headed back to her house, the LVN under her arm and shaking her head in disbelief. But heck, that's all for show. She'll be out there on our two-block long walking mall with her kids in tow on the 5th, smiling like there's no tomorrow.
Neighbors, Geez!
