Plans set for annual Main Street Mingle

Santa Claus is coming to town. The jolly old elf will make his annual appearance on Saturday, Nov. 21, during the Main Street Mingle in downtown Lovell.

A Merry and Bright Christmas is the theme for the event, with business and homeowners encouraged to light up their premises during the holidays.

Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce manager Linda Morrison said the Mingle is a truly fun event.

“The Mingle atmosphere is pre-Christmas, and it really brings the whole feeling of what we all want to experience for Christmas,” Morrison said. “And besides that, so many people are saying you’re just a Hallmark town. Where else can you get this? Where else can you wander the streets, go in and out of the stores, have hot chocolate and mingle with people along the way, and all the while you’re contributing to the community. So it’s a win-win because you’re contributing, but you have the potential of getting back, so you can contribute more, and that’s what smalltown life is all about. That’s why we live here.”

Morrison said the Mingle’s focus is to “skip the ordinary and find quality and character in your choices of gift giving.” Participating businesses will offer quality merchandise with gift giving in mind, she said, plus sweet treats and warm beverages, and there will be much to participate in during the Christmas Business Stroll.

“We have some great choices here in our own communities, and it’s worth looking into,” Morrison said. “And the very thing that it says is skip the ordinary, and that doesn’t mean you’re going to find all of your (presents), but you’re going to find those that would be pleasing to whoever you do your gift giving for. And you can find it right at home.”

A day full of activities kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with the Dauntless Dash, sponsored by Club Dauntless. Participants can register at the Lovell Fire Hall starting at 9 a.m. The Dash features a 5K run and a one-mile run or walk. There is no entry fee, and competitors can enjoy hot cocoa and cookies after the race.

The Christmas movie “Elf” will play at the Hyart Theatre at 11 a.m. Admission price is one can of food, and there will be free popcorn sponsored by Georgia-Pacific. Concessions will be available.

Also starting at 11 a.m. is the Christmas Business Stroll featuring Christmas shopping and specials in Lovell businesses. Participating businesses are Wild Edge, Queen Bee, Valley Flower, Lovell Drug, Haskell Furniture, SweetArt Cake Company, KB Hardware, Lovell Ace Hardware, Cluckin’ B’s Merc, the Lovell-Kane Area Museum, the Bighorn Canyon Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center, Conoco Country Store, Pizza Factory, Mustang Café, Aud’s 4 Corners Bar and Grill, Rose City Lanes/Hot Stuff Pizza and the Sip Stop.

The Point youth house will serve walking tacos as a youth fundraiser at the Minchow’s Food Court Building from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the annual coat drive and giveaway will take place at the Chamber of Commerce Building during the day featuring gently used coats.

The Lovell-Kane Area Museum will be holding a chili cookoff and soup sale from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Santa Claus to town

As the movie lets out just before 1 p.m., children are asked to gather in front of the theater and chamber office for the arrival of Santa Claus, who will ride down Main Street on a horse-drawn wagon, then visit with children from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m. at the chamber office. Cookies and hot chocolate sponsored by North Big Horn Hospital will be offered at the chamber building from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Christmas music will begin, provided by Bret Savage and Adam Craw, and hot chocolate will be served at the downtown mural park at Main and Nevada starting at 4:30 p.m., and the drawings for $2,000 in chamber bucks – up from $1,400 last year -- will be held around 5 p.m., featuring tickets drawn from Lovell stores. Of the $2,000, $1,400 will go to people who sign up and are present at the mural park, and $600 will go to those who signed up at a store but are not present Saturday.

Santa Claus and assembled children will light the large Christmas tree in the park following the drawing.

The Lovell Bible Church will host the annual live nativity from 5:30 to 7 p.m.