Chamber of commerce announces 2020 holiday plans for Black Mountain
Month-long initiative will replace Holly Jolly; virtual parade to feature highlights from past years
The Valley Echo
October 12, 2020
Dancers from the Black Mountain Center for the Arts perform in the 2019 Christmas Parade on State Street. The parade will not return for 2020, and in its place the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce will feature highlights from past years in an online video beginning Dec. 5. Photo by Fred McCormick
Holly Jolly and the annual Christmas Parade, two holiday traditions in Black Mountain, will not return in their usual formats in 2020, the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce announced today.
Instead, the chamber will partner with local organizations to create a family friendly month-long event that will encourage support for local businesses and COVID-19 safety awareness.
Local merchants will be encouraged to remain open until 7 p.m. each Friday evening in December to accommodate evening holiday shoppers. Strolling musicians will play throughout the downtown business district on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Anyone wishing to sponsor a musician can contact the chamber, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The chamber is also asking local businesses and residents to participate in the annual Deck the Trees fundraiser, which is traditionally held in the Monte Vista Hotel. The event, which features Christmas trees decorated by Swannanoa Valley organizations, raises money to support the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Ten trees, featuring the theme “And A Star Appeared,” will be on display in the Monte Vista this year, but the rest of the entries can be viewed in area businesses. The public can vote for their favorite tree by making a monetary donation to the fuel fund. Deck the Trees raised approximately $35,000 for the SVCM in 2019.
A business and residence will be awarded a Best of Show prize. An app with all participating residential and business locations will provide a driving guide around the area to view the decorations, and encourage people to stop at participating businesses to vote on their favorite star-themed tree. Participating businesses will have a star decal displayed at the entrance.
A star decal on the door of a business will also designate them as a participant in the STAR passport program. STAR passports will be available at various lodging, banking, retail and other locations beginning Friday, Nov. 20. Between Dec. 3 - 20, participating businesses will stamp the STAR passport when a financial transaction occurs. When all five points are stamped, the passports can be left in a dropbox outside the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center to be entered in a weekly drawing for a $100 cash prize.
The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority will introduce a fall and winter 3 W’s (Wait, Wash, Wear) awareness program with the graphic of a friendly bear wearing a mask. During this period, awareness materials will be available to area businesses and Black Mountain’s bear mascot, Mr. Po Laris, will be displayed on a rotating basis at various locations around town, encouraging selfies and mask protocol. The Little Bear constellation includes the Polaris star; the brightest star in the Little Dipper.
“The North Star provides direction and hope in these challenging times”, Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sharon Tabor said in the release announcing the holiday plans. “We felt using the bear and star created a natural fit for our holiday events supporting local businesses, and kid-friendly activities.”
In conjunction with the bear and star theme, coloring pages will be available for children to color or draw their own pictures of Mr. Po Laris, and will be displayed at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts and the Old Depot Gallery. Children who write a story or poem featuring the bear or star can have their work available for viewing at the Black Mountain Tyson Public Library in digital format.
In place of a physical parade, traditionally held the first Saturday of December, a virtual video of highlights from former parades will be made available for viewing in different digital and social media platforms beginning Saturday, Dec. 5.
Other organizations and nonprofits throughout the area will be developing holiday activities and events relating to the Bear and Star theme. Updates will be posted on various community websites and via social media blasts.