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Dillsboro to welcome holidays with candles, music, fireworks
By Stephanie Salmons
A local holiday tradition will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a bang.
The Dillsboro Festival of Lights and Luminaries will be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6, and again on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13.
The two-weekend event is one of several festivals sponsored each year by the Dillsboro Merchants Association, and members consider the annual luminaire to be their seasonal open house. Shops stay open late and offer holiday refreshments to those who stop by to browse, shop and enjoy the luminaries (candles in white sand-filled bags) along town streets.
Each evening at dusk, shopkeepers line the streets with 2,500 luminaries and invite area residents and visitors to get a start on their holiday shopping. Merchants will provide live music and serve holiday treats, and Santa Claus will be on hand to greet children at Town Hall.
This year’s festival will wrap up with a bang at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, when, in honor of the event’s 25th anniversary, a holiday fireworks display will light the night sky. Fireworks will be silver and white, with seasonal touches of red and green.
“It’s our 25th anniversary, and we wanted to do something extra special and extra exciting,” DMA President Teresa Dowd said.
This year’s festival will be fun, Dowd said. Because it is the celebration’s 25th anniversary, more acts than usual are scheduled as well as some “surprises,” she continued.
“We’re doing the traditional luminaire and some other activities that everyone will enjoy,” Dowd said.
Also new this year is a Christmas tree exhibit in the building beside Bradley’s General Store. Approximately a dozen trees decorated by local kindergarten and first-grade students will be on display.
“Giving trees” will also be up around the town, Dowd said.
In the spirit of the original luminaire, different shops will sponsor “Giving Trees” for various charities. The participating shops and who they are collecting for include:
– West Carolina Internet Cafe will collect for Full Spectrum Farm and the Autism Society of North Carolina and will be taking donations and selling original pottery.
– Jarrett House will have “the Christmas tree” where visitors can drop off new toys or purchase Save the Warmth donation cards.
– Country Traditions will collect Friskies canned cat food for Catman2 and Christmas cards for seniors in nursing homes.
– Smoky Mountain Dog Bakery will take collections for ARF and visitors can pick an animal “angel” from the tree and donate a gift.
– Maggie J’s Jewelry will collect towels, dry animal food and shampoo for Jackson County Animal Rescue.
– Golden Carp is collecting for the Community Table and visitors can drop off non-perishable foods.
– Dillsboro Chocolate Factory is collecting gifts, such as toiletries and snacks for the troops.
– KMR Handwoven and Oaks Gallery will benefit Jackson County foster children. Individuals can pick a star from the tree and fill a child’s need.
– A bake sale to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life will take place near the Village Studio Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 until 9 p.m.
– Dr. Jeffrey Goldwasser is collecting used coats in good condition. Individuals can drop off them off at his office in Dillsboro Court, Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 2:30- 4:30 p.m.
Area children can also participate in a Christmas card contest. Kids up to the age of 10 can submit their homemade cards to Country Traditions in Dillsboro through Dec. 13; the cards will be placed on display the last night of the event.
First and second place will be awarded in three age groups: under 5, 5-8, and 8-10.
Although fireworks are planned for the final night, Dowd said that she encourages people to come more than one night.
“Come once, come twice, come three times,” she said.
The fact that this is the 25th anniversary of the festival means that Dillsboro is a thriving community, Dowd said.
“We have a solid core of dedicated businesses that support the community,” she said. “Even though it’s considered a tourist town, it’s a thriving community of Jackson County.”
This weekend’s entertainment schedule includes:
Friday, Dec. 5
– 4 to 9 p.m.: classic holiday movies will be shown at West Carolina Internet Cafe.
– 6 to 8:30 p.m.: Sugar and Friends will be at Riverwood Pottery; Andy Latorre will be at Dogwood Crafters; Kim Beale will be at Bradley’s General Store; Carmella will be at Nancy Tut’s Christmas Shop; Cullowhee Valley Elementary will be at the Dillsboro Chocolate Factory; Appalachian Bluegrass will be at Whistle Stop Cafe.
– 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.: Beth Johnson will be at Golden Carp and Pic & Play Dulcimers will be at Oaks Gallery.
– 7 to 8 p.m.: Smoky Mountain High School Flute Ensemble, along with flute students from The Music Village will be at the Front Street Company.
– 7 to 8:30 p.m.: Santa’s Keeper of Elves will be at Country Traditions.
– 8 to 9 p.m.: Victory Baptist Church Choir will be at the Front Street Courtyard.
Saturday, Dec. 6
– 4 to 9 p.m.: classic holiday movies will be shown at West Carolina Internet Cafe.
– 6 to 7 p.m.: Western Carolina University Horns will be at Cannon’s Corner Courtyard; and Chapin Chamber Choir will be at Front Street Company.
– 6 to 8:30 p.m.: Sugar and Friends will be at Riverwood Pottery; Ron Smith will be at Dogwood Crafters; Mountain Faith will be at Bradley’s General Store; Carmella will be at Nancy Tut’s Christmas Shop; Appalachian Bluegrass will be at Whistle Stop Cafe; and Steven Wohlrab will be at Oaks Gallery.
– 6 to 8 p.m.: Celtic Blue will be at the Jarrett House.
– 6:30 to 8:30: Beth Johnson will be at Golden Carp
– 7 to 8:30: Santa’s Keeper of Elves will be at Country Traditions.
– 7 to 8 p.m.: East Sylva Baptist Church Choir will be at Front Street Co.
– 8 to 9 p.m.: Victory Baptist Church Choir will be at the Front Street Courtyard.
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