It is hard to believe that the holidays are right around the corner. The Ashland Alliance Chamber of Commerce’s Winter Wonderland of Lights Festival Committee is already relighting the displays and making preparations for this year’s festival.

“I’ll Be Home For Christmas” is the theme for 2009.

Activities will begin on Nov. 7 with the Winter Wonderland of Lights’ 3rd Annual Beauty Pageant. Other activities include: the Opening Night Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 16; light displays Nov. 16-Jan. 1; train rides on the Winter Wonderland Express beginning Nov. 20 (weekends through Dec. 20); the annual Christmas parade scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 24 which will honor the 201st Engineer Battalion as the Grand Marshals; visits with Santa in the log house beginning on Nov. 26 (weekends through Dec. 20). The Boyd and Greenup Counties Home & Business Decorating Contests will take place Dec. 12-20; and last but definitely not least, “Breakfast with Santa” will take place on Dec. 5 at First Christian Church.

Also, the “Christmas Card to the Community” project was so successful last year it will be an annual event and we invite all businesses, churches, youth groups, etc. to design a card for display in Central Park during the lights festival.

Registration/application forms for the Beauty Pageant, Christmas Parade, Boyd and Greenup Counties Home & Business Decorating Contests, Christmas Card to the Community and a flyer on Breakfast with Santa are available on the Winter Wonderland web site: www.winterwonderlandoflights.com and at the Alliance office, 1733 Winchester Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky.

If you would like to volunteer, have any questions or would like to make a charitable tax deductible donation, please call the Ashland Alliance Chamber of Commerce, 606-324-5111 or e-mail paulam@inicity.net.

Paula Mayo