By Staff
DOWAGIAC – New to this weekend's Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration in Dowagiac, music students from Southwestern Michigan College will be featured this Sunday at the open houses of select shopkeepers.
The celebration of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce also includes the 100-unit Dowagiac Candle-light Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 7.
"New to the weekend event, we're pleased this Sunday to welcome 16 music students from Southwestern Michigan College, who will be featured at six specialty stores, where they'll present mini concerts, performing as a solo, duet or trio," said Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority.
"While family events will be headquartered at the Beckwith Park on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Sunday our attention is focused on in-store activities," Phillipson said. "In cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce, Jonathan Korzun, director of bands and instructor of music at Southwestern Michigan College, has made arrangements for 16 students to present in-store performances Sunday afternoon, which set the stage for a wonderful afternoon for shoppers, who visit our Grand Old City."
While the specialty stores will open at 11 a.m. on Sunday, shoppers can enjoy the in-store performances from 1 to 3 p.m. that will be held at Booth's Country Florist, Imperial Furniture, The Marshall Shoppe, Vincent J. Jewelers, Who Knew? Consignment and The Wren's Nest.
Stephanie Thorpe of Niles will perform on the harp from 1 to 3 p.m. at Booth's Country Florist. Imperial Furniture will host the flute duet of Tina Stutzman of Cassopolis and Alexandria Unruh of Dowagiac from 1 to 2 p.m., followed by a trombone solo by Jordan Eby of Dowagiac from 2 to 3 p.m.
Katy Monroe of Niles will present a piano solo at The Marshall Shoppe from 1 to 3 p.m., as The Wren's Nest hosts the flute duet of Maycie Boyle and Kelsey Schoff, both from Niles.
The horn trio of Jacob Crowl and Dawn Phillips of Dowagiac, and Jill Frey of Berrien Springs will be presented at Who Knew? Consignment from 1 to 2 p.m., followed by the trumpet trio featuring Evan Bressler of Dowagiac, Aaron Depue of Niles and Matt Oldenburg of Elkhart, Ind.
Vincent J. Jewelers will host pianist Jihye Lewis of White Pigeon from 1 to 2 p.m., followed by the saxophone duet of Jeffrey McCullough of Buchanan and Steven Rhynard of Niles.
Day-visitors to this community's central business district will also enjoy the music of street carolers on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Members of the Southwestern Michigan College Music Club will be caroling in the downtown from noon to 1 p.m., followed at 2 p.m. by children who attend the Second Baptist Church and at 3 p.m. by members of Pathway Community Church.
On Saturday and Sunday the Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with Booth's Country Florist, Caruso's Candy Kitchen, Front Street Winery, Laurie Anne's, Murphy's Flowers &Greenhouses, Perfect Memories, Underwood Shoes, Vincent J. Jewelers, Who Knew? Consignment and The Wren's Nest, along with Imperial Furniture and The Marshall Shoppe, as it awards $25 Universal Dowagiac Gift Certificates in its annual holiday drawing to eight winners.
Family events on Saturday at the Beckwith Park are centered around the Victorian Old-World Santa, who children can meet from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as they register to win Santa's Giant Gift Basket, presented by the Chamber of Commerce.
Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras Saturday to take pictures of their children, seated beside St. Nick in his beautiful white carriage, which will be provided by Jack Fryman of Dowagiac. One of Santa's elves will be at the park from noon to 3 p.m. and will tie red and white balloons into giant-sized candy canes for youngsters. From 11 to 4 p.m. families can also see Holly, the 18-month-old reindeer from Country Reindeer Farm.
Miss Dowagiac Sara Ausra will join children for a holiday storytime and cookie-decorating workshop that will be held on Saturday at Who Knew? Consignment, beginning at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The children's workshop, which is presented by Dowagiac District Library and the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant of the Chamber of Commerce, is open to the public free of charge.
Horse-drawn carriage rides will travel the Grand Old City from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday as members of About Time present holiday vocal and instrumental music at the Haggin-Wimberley Memorial Bandstand, beginning at 11 a.m. The sidewalk booths of Project Graduation, Caruso's Candy Kitchen and Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan will also open at 11 a.m. at the park. Memorial ribbons will be available for sale, as well as Caruso's candy, hot chocolate and fresh baked goods. At Front Street Winery, families can sample mulled wine and cider.
Holiday performances will be presented Saturday at 12:30 p.m. by Encore Dance Co.; at 1 p.m. by members of the Dowagiac Union High School Choir; and at 4 p.m. by Positively Dance.
Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration wraps up on Friday, Dec. 7, as southwestern Michigan's largest lighted event takes to the streets – the Dowagiac Candle-light Christmas Parade. To receive a schedule of events or to register a parade unit, call the Chamber of Commerce at (269) 782-8212.