2018
Two weeks of Holiday Cheer! Nov. 28 –Dec. 1 & Dec. 5 – 8 San Marcos, Texas
2 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
Contents W elcome F estival F acts P arking S ponsors Entertaint S chedule S eason for Giviing R ides , Games , Llamas !!! S anta—I know H im ! F estival M ap Vendors T own of Bethlehem M agic M oney: H ow to S anta’s Gift S hop I nfamous Biscuits J ingle Bell 5K Dear S anta
4 6 6 7 8 10 14 12 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 30
SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS BOARD: TOMMY CURTIS – PRESIDENT DAVID CASE – VICE PRESIDENT CATHERINE MARLER – SECRETARY JASON DIXON – TREASURER BRIAN OLSON – PAST PRESIDENT RODNEY COBB – PAST PRESIDENT OSCAR HAIRELL – EX-OFFICIO DREW WELLS – EX-OFFICIO KATHLEEN CHOMEL – DIRECTOR ELVA ZDEB – DIRECTOR JESSICA RAMOS – DIRECTOR BERT STRATEMANN - DIRECTOR JUDE PRATHER - DIRECTOR PETE BINION – DIRECTOR LIZ CASTENEDA – DIRECTOR
DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Toy Mendez CONTRIBUTORS: Mary Rath Anita Miller Lance Winter PHOTOGRAPHERS: Denise Cathey Toy Mendez Anita Miller Lance Winter
AMY COGDILL – DIRECTOR KATIE CONTRERAS – DIRECTOR NOT LISTED ARE OUR TALENTED COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND MEMBERS. IT TAKES OVER 1000 VOLUNTEERS TO PUT ON THE FESTIVAL!
ON THE COVER PHOTO BY GREG MITCHUM Sights & Sounds of Christmas 2018 Festival Guide is produced by San Marcos Publlishing LP
Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 3
Welcome to
San Marcos, TX
Thousands of glittering lights and hundreds of happy, smiling people. That’s Sights & Sounds of Christmas in a nutshell. San Marcos’ premier festival, now in its 30th year, transforms the banks of the San Marcos River into a winter wonderland — regardless of what the thermometer says. From humble origins at Courthouse Square, the festival has expanded to both sides of the river at San Marcos Plaza, complete with continuously-staged live entertainment, carnival rides, booths where
tempting taste treats and hand-crafted gifts beckon to those passing by, an area devoted to Old Bethlehem, crafts and a petting zoo, plus a special place where local children can whisper their Christmas wishes to no less than Santa himself. For good measure, Mrs. Santa accompanies him. And speaking of the Jolly Old Elf, he will keep to tradition this year, making his grand entrance differently each night. Although organizers have been mum about this year’s entrances, in years past Santa has arrived via helicopter, fire truck and canoe.
4 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
The festival has also expanded from its original one weekend run to two consecutive weekends plus, this year from Wednesday, Nov. 28 to Saturday Dec. 1 and Wednesday, Dec. 5 though Saturday, Dec. 8. It’s also grown in attendance — from a mainly local draw to one that brings in visitors from cities and towns from across Texas. Admission for kids 12 and under is free; is a nominal $5 or adults. Eight-day wristbands are an even better deal, available for only $15 for the entire eight night of the festival. It’s important to note that no cash will be accepted inside the festival grounds except for at Santa’s Gift Shop, so plan on using “Magic Money,” instead. The Sights & Sounds of Christmas Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in San Marcos. So come on down to San Marcos Plaza show your support for local businesses, vendors and performing artists. You’ll be glad you did.
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Quick Facts • The festival got its start back in 1987 on the lawn of the Hays County Courthouse. Some activities were also held at other locations, as the increasingly popular festival began to outgrow its venue. • There are approximately 90,000 lights on the famous Sights & Sounds Christmas tree, popular for whirling underneath. That’s just a fraction, though, of the thousands upon thousands more lights that illuminate the festival grounds on both sides of the San Marcos River. • Record attendance for the festival came in 2012, when 70,000 people attended. (That was before it was expanded to two weekends. Several years, bad weather has forced the festival to be canceled on some nights.) • Though there’s something to please just about any palate, the most popular food booth at Sights & Sounds of Christmas has long been Kettle Biscuits, dished up by Main Street San Marcos just inside the festival gates.
Parking When it comes to parking for the Sights & Sounds of Christmas festival, you have a choice. For those wishing to save a few bucks, there’s free parking from 5 until 11 p.m. each of the 8 nights of the festival in the Strahan Coliseum parking lot (also known as Bobcat Stadium West Parking Lot.) From there, buses will take festivalgoers straight to the gates. Parking for Sights & Sounds is free and availble at 4 convenient locations, most will park at West Strahan Collesium parking lot, where shuttles run every 15 minutes with drop of directly at the festival main gates. For the most up to date festival info & parking locations visit: sights-n-sounds.org
• Festival goers in 2017 were treated to a rarity indeed — snowfall that came on Thursday, Dec. 7. It has, however, been sleeting during the festival more than once. 6 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
SPONSORS
Sights & Sounds of Christmas would not be possible without our generous sponsors.
PRESENTING SPONSORS FOR 2018
GOLD SPONSORS:
SILVER River City Screenprinting & Embroidery San Marcos Daily Record
Gunnarson Outdoor Advertising Gumby’s Pizza – San Marcos
Amber Leighe Armer State Farm University Federal Credit Union
HOLLY Frost Bank Sage Capital Bank Premier Cuts
Sign Crafters Texas State University North Carolina Furniture Community Impact
Hart Properties Corridor News Ault & Ault
DONORS Mensor - $500
Wells Fargo - $6000
Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 7
Festival Schedule 1st Weekend
2nd Weekend
Wednesday, Nov. 28 6:30 Bowie Elementary School Choir 7 Beauties & The Beat A Capella 9:30 The Austin Nines Dance Band (pending)
Wednesday, Dec. 5 5:30 Goodnight Band 6 Alice in Wonderland Jr. Cast 6:30 The Travis Treblemakers 7 Santa Claus/High School Entertainment 7:30 SMHS Jazz Ensemble 9:30 The Vintage 15 Big Band
Thursday, Nov. 29 5:30 Bonham Prekindergarten 6 Mendez Elementary Kinder Baile Folklorico 6:30 San Marcos Academy MS &Varsity Cheer 7 Mendez Elementary Choir 7:30 Grupo Folklorico Ocotochtli 9 The Barditch Hippies (pending) Friday, Nov. 30 5:30 First Class Dance Center 6 Hernandez Elementary Ballet Club 6:30 Hill Country Youth Chorus 7 Miller Choir 7:30 The Black Diamond Caberet Theatre 8 University Carolers 8:30 “Mayeux” 9:30 High Fidelity Saturday, Dec. 1 5:30 First Class Dance Center 6 TXST Collegiate Texas Music Educators 6:30 Abundant Life Christian Church Arts Ministry 7 Dance Time Company 7:30 Heart of Texas Chorus 8 A Cappella Texas & A Cappella Unlimited 8:30 Robert Vela III 9:30 Dale Watson (pending)
Thursday, Dec. 6 5:30 Hernandez Loud Bunch Choir 6 Crockett Singing Stars Choir 6:30 Mariachi Infantil 7 San Marcos High School Orchestra Friday, Dec. 7 5:30 First Step 6 ASL Club 6:30 De Zavala Choir, Kinder, Dance, Folklorico 7 SMHS Guitar Ensemble 7:30 Mariachi Nuevo Cascabel 8 Orquesta Cascabel 8:30 Texas State University Trombone Choir 9:30 The Peterson Brothers Saturday, Dec. 8 5:30 San Marcos Dance Studio 6 Abundant Life Christian Church Arts Ministry 7 San Marcos Adventist Jr Academy Choir 7:30 Central Texas Ballet 9:30 Tameca Jones (pending)
For the most up to date festival info & parking locations visit sights-n-sounds.org
8 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
Make this holiday season cuddly with
Homes 4 the Holidays
December is “Take Me Home” Adoption Month! Adoption fees for all pets are only $20. San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter 750 River Road, San Marcos, TX (512) 805-2650 www.sanmarcostx.gov/animaladoptions
From all of us at the City of San Marcos, we’d like to wish you
Happy Holidays May they be merry and bright.
Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 9
‘Tis the Season for Giving In December of 1987, the city of San Marcos hosted its first holiday celebration on the lawns of the courthouse. The humble festival boasted all the traditional fare of a Main Street Americana Christmas: photos with Santa, a walking tour of the Christmas lights on San Antonio street, caroling, and a brand new popcorn machine. Thirty years later, that celebration would evolve into the roaring, citywide celebration of Sights & Sounds that San Marcos knows today — a celebration that brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to local nonprofits within the community. Festival President Tommy Curtis knows the importance of community – and as it’s the season for giving, it’s only right that Sights & Sounds operates as a celebration of giving back to the community. “We definitely try to do everything local as much as possible,” Curtis says. “One of our big things we started, maybe about 8 to 10 years ago, and really tried to grow, is our nonprofit partnerships.” Roughly 75 percent of the festival’s vendors selling food items are local nonprofits, including local Scouting troops, Pink Heals, schools, and police associations, among a myriad of others. According to Curtis, these nonprofits consider the Sights & Sounds festival to be one of their biggest annual fundraisers. In 2015, the festival raised over $150,000 for local area nonprofits – and, according to Curtis, that number has only increased in the last four years, with the festival earning well over $500,000. “(It’s all) going back to local charities,” Curtis said. “(These groups) come in and will sell funnel cakes, hot dogs, and raise money for their causes.” While Sights & Sounds may have outgrown the courthouse lawn where it all started – growing so big, organizers began adding a second weekend to the event back in 2017 – the heart of the festival has stayed the same: a celebration of family, generosity, and the diversity that makes San Marcos such a vibrant community. 10 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
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Santa Claus is Coming toTown! He’s making a list, checking it twice, and stopping by San Marcos before heading to the North Pole. One of the most popular Sights & Sounds attractions in all the festival’s 32 years — and for all the reasons you would expect — Santa and Mrs. Claus will be making special appearances on each of the festival’s eight nights. Don’t miss this magical opportunity to meet and greet with the Clauses, pose for a photo (each visitor gets one printed photo free of charge), and make magical holiday memories that are sure to last a lifetime. Santa arrives nightly at the San Marcos River Plaza Park at 6:15, with visiting hours beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. on
Santa’s River House porch and ending at 9:30 p.m. He’ll arrive in a spectacular fashion each night; however organizers have kept the details under wraps — prepare to be surprised! Parents are advised to arrive early to avoid the long lines. Although they can whisper their wishes straight into the ear of the Jolly Old Elf, children are also invited to bring their Christmas letters (or write them in the workshop!) and drop them in the special North Pole mail delivery locations at the festival, where they’ll be sent directly to Santa at the North Pole. Don’t miss out on this beloved Sights & Sounds holiday tradition!
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Best. Christmas. Ever!
He might be at the top of some lists, but visiting with Santa Claus is but one of a long list of kid-friendly activities awaiting at Sights & Sounds of Christmas. For starters, who doesn’t love a carnival! Rides from bumper cars to a Ferris Wheel will provide thrills and chills as well as offering a view from on high of the festival and its thousands upon thousands of glittering lights.
Prices for individual rides range from $1 to $7, and area easily paid using Magic Money wristbands. There’s also a petting zoo, sponsored by McCoy’s Building Supply, where youngsters will get to pet a variety of animal ranging from llamas, lambs and goats to bunnies and a camel. Admission to the petting zoo is free and feed will be available for purchase with Magic Money wristbands. On the second week there is a nightly scavenger hunt where attendees can win a variety of prizes, and games including life-size Jenga, Giant Connect 4, TicTac-Toe and more at the Reindeer Games station. Rare to Central Texas, Sights & Sounds of Christmas even has ice skating! While that’s unusual in Texas, pony ride are not, so youngsters should wear their cowboy boots and hats. All that fun can make you hungry, so be sure to stop by the Food Court for all manner of sweet and savory delights. You won’t have to look far, either, as there are more than two dozen vendors, located on both sides of the San Marcos River. 14 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
Rides! Games! Lalallamas!
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for illustration purposes only.
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VENDORS
There’s something for everyone offered by vendors at Sights & Sounds of Christmas. THE ART OF EDWARD: Artwork BIG MAMA’S NUTS Roasted nuts, peanut butter cups, nut rolls, promotional merchandise BLONDE OVER BLUE Jewelry (rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings), wool Christmas decorations and caricatures COLOR STREET: Nail polish strips CRAFTS FOR ALL: Crafts for All
EVERY PLATE Meal kit delivery service G-N-G ACCESSORIES Christmas decorations, jewelry, handbags, hats, scarves, T-shirts HELLOFRESH Meal kit delivery service IJERKYGUY: Prepackaged jerky ILLUMINIDOL Home décor, mixed media
CYPRESS COTTAGE: Hand knit or crocheted fashion and home accessories
KIM’S COOKIES Sealed decorated sugar cookies
DAMSEL IN DEFENSE Stun guns, pepper sprays, Kubatons, personal alarms, purses, breakaways, car kits
LOCCITANE Hand and body creams, shower gels, shampoo, conditioner, perfume and face creams
KNDS: Clothing, jewelry
MARBLIES Marblies miniatures, personalized ornaments, personalized dog frames MEMENTOS FUSIO Sports and military merchandise MORNING GLORY Hand-crafted Christmas light bulbs, ornaments, magnets, gourds, home décor and bird feeders SCENTSY Scentsy warmers, Sentsy wax, Sentsy buddies, Scentsy essentials, Scentsy Whiffs, air fragrance and dryer discs
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Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 19
LittleBethlehem While Sights & Sounds boasts thousands lights every year, only one star illuminated Bethlehem on the night of the very first Christmas. Luckily, with the Little Bethlehem attraction, Sights & Sounds visitors don’t have to journey all the way to the Middle East to relive the wonderful story. Entering its 28th year at the Sights and Sounds festival, the Little Town of Bethlehem offers a uniquely immersive experience: whether you know the story of Christ’s birth by heart, or are merely interested in learning more about the ancient traditions of the original Bethlehem, Little Bethlehem’s recreation of the Biblical town offers something for everyone. From live music, artisan demonstrations (including pottery and candlestick making) and a petting zoo featuring live a variety of live animals, visitors of all ages are invited to journey back in time to experience the history of the first Nativity through this staple and extremely popular attraction of Sights & Sounds. Little Bethlehem runs every night through both Festival weeks and costs no additional charge to enter.
20 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
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Magic Money at Sights & Sounds
There’s a thing about Sights & Sounds of Christmas that everyone might not be aware of — basically, with one exception, your money’s no good inside the festival grounds. Cash will be accepted for admission at the gates (free for children 12 and under, $ for adults, and $15 for a wrist band for the entire 8 days of the festival) and at Santa’s gift shop. Otherwise, the festival is continuing a tradition started last year of using a new and easy way to pay for rides, games and food. Magic Money is the concept, and it is enacted through a Magic Money Band, an electronic token system that employs a RFID chip. The bands are reloadable (through the free Magic Money app) at any of a number of Magic Money kiosks and stations throughout the festival grounds. Not only that, they are reusable — meaning that if you have a little left when the gates close for good on Dec. 8, you can hang onto the band and use it again next year at Sights & Sounds of Christmas 2019. The bands cost $2, which is deducted from your original purchase, and they can be loaded in increments of $10, $20, $40, $60, $80 and $100 for first-time purchases. You can also purchase an Unlimited Ride Band. With so much to see and do, it only makes sense to cut the clutter and instead of fishing in your purse or pocket, simply use the Magic Money Band around your wrist to ride any ride, purchase any food item or play any game your heart desires. Keep an eye out for bright Magic Money kiosks and stations spread throughout festival grounds.
22 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
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Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 23
Santa’s Gift Shop Whether it’s last minute
Christmas gifts, or you’re just looking to peruse local vendors, Santa’s Gift Shop has something for everyone. Located on the City Park side of the Plaza between the big Christmas Tree and the carnival, more than 20 local vendors participate in the Gift Shop every year. From notable repeat vendors who return every year, to fresh faces with fabulous handcrafted products, Santa’s Gift Shop offers something for everyone. During normal festival hours, visitors can enjoy a range of vendors hand-selected by the Festival committee to showcase the diversity of the local arts and crafts scene. With products ranging personalized Christmas ornaments, to roasted chestnuts and handmade children’s clothes, Santa’s Gift Shop is a must-visit for all ages.
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Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 27
JingleBell Run Organizers of Sights & Sounds of Christmas and gearing up for what’s become a holiday favorite in San Marcos - the Jingle Bell Run. Presenting sponsors for the run, Kent Black’s BBQ and Orangetheory Fitness, will help kick off the seventh annual event. In 2010 Brian Olson, then president of the board for Sights & Sounds, decided it was time to bring back the 5K run and add the Kids K. “When the event was brought back, in our inaugural year we had a handful of runners, 36 all total,” Olson said. “But in 2017 we had 950 and this year we expect to surpass that with more than 1,000 runners.” Olson said the Jingle Bell Run is the primary event – outside the festival itself – which enables organizers to keep entrance fees affordable for would-be festival goers. “We want to keep admission cost as low as possible,” Olson said. “The revenue from the fun run does just that.” Along the route, runners will be met with 70 speakers “rocking Christmas tunes” along the course. “A lot of people come out of their homes to support runners passing by. It really is a fun run in the truest sense of the word,” Olson said. “Something new this year will be ‘Fill the
Trunk.’ There will be 17 officers along the route keeping runners safe. But, at the same time, officers will have their cruiser trunks open taking donations of a toy for kids in the community for Blue Santa.” (No stuffed toys. Gift minimum $15 please) Olson said in the spirit of giving, each Jingle Bell Run participant will be guaranteed a highquality shirt if participants register before Dec. 2. There will also be a raffle for prizes, and among them are rumored to be a gift certificate to Kent Black’s BBQ, Orangetheory Fitness, flat screen televisions and free haircuts. A nice treat will also be given to the runner wearing the most jingle bells. In addition, 5K runners will win Santa trophies for their age groups, separated by five years. All kids participating in the Kids K will receive a trophy. Jill Holechek, race director for the Jingle Bell Run, said she has directed a lot of races but this one is her favorite. “It’s because the community gets so involved,” she said. Having been behind the scenes of the event since 2011, Holechek said she’s witnessed the race grow tremendously in numbers. But after these many years she said this will be her last year as race director.
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“I’m sad but I’m also happy to be able to hand over the reins to Rebecca Rounds, an active runner and board member of the San Marcos Runners Club,” she said. The largest 5K in Hays County will take place on Dec. 8. The 5K begins at 9 a.m. and the Kids K at 10 am. Participants of all ages are encouraged to dress-up for the season. To be a part of the Sights & Sounds Jingle Bell Run register at: sights-n-sounds.org/5k. Early registration price for the 5K is $30 which ends Dec. 7. There will be a booth to register at Sights
& Sounds each night where participants will be able to pick up their runners’ bag. To register the day of the event, Dec. 8, the cost will be $40. Ticket sales will begin at the front entrance at 8 a.m. Olson said for those unable to participate can still show their support by standing on the sidelines during the day of the event to cheer on participants. “And please don’t forget to bring a toy to fill the trunk of an officer’s cruiser,” said Olson. “This is going to be a great event.”
Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018 • 29
The Ugliest Sweater
Contest?!
That’s right! It’s back! Who would have thought that you’d want to be the worst at anything? Who cares! You’re into it! Post up your ugliest sweater on social. #uglysweaterSMDR Enter for you chance to win awesome prizes during both weekends of Sights & Sounds! We want to see your dog, your cat, your baby, your mom, all in thier ugly holiday sweaters! Details at sanmarcosrecord.com. We’ll have 10 categories for 10 chances to win a gift card from one of our awesome contest sponsors! Look for more info & details on our social!
#uglysweaterSMDR
Ashton Sanchez was the winner of the San Marcos Daily Record’s 2017 Ugly Sweater Contest
Dear Santa,
Bring this letter to Santa’s Mailbox inside the festival! 30 • Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival Guide • San Marcos, TX • December 2018
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