FPR_HolidayWalk_120325

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Walk

Season launches on Madison Street with frosty fun

Walk returns on Dec. 5

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

BANNOR

During the Holiday Walk on Dec. 5, Forest Park will live up in a big way to its billing as a village with small town charm.

Thousands of lights, decorated windows in shops with yummy treats inside, live music, a horse drawn car riage and Santa and Mrs. Claus — it all works together to create a family friendly fantasy to kick of f the holiday season.

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Dec 5 at 6 PM th 7512 Madison Street

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public puts up in Constitution Court is a 22-foot-tall Canaan Balsam Fir. McAdam Landscaping strings the lights on the tree as well as on the light poles along Madison Street and Roosevelt Road.

Businesses along Madison Street contribute to the festive atmosphere in many ways.

Santa and Mrs. Claus (aka Joe and Sandy Byrnes) will be seated in the Forest Park Bank lobby to hear what children of all ages want for Christmas and to pose for photo ops.

Play It Again Sports will be transformed into a concert hall. Dr. Daniel Gasse, director of the Gasse School of Music, will be

In addition, a group of preschoolers will sing seasonal songs in Spanish.

Laurie Jackson, the owner of Todd and Holland Tea Merchants, will be serving a mocktail — cocktails made with tea instead of alcohol — she’s calling an Old Fashioned made with tea instead of brandy.

Joana Fischer, owner of Twisted Cookie, said, “We will be doing hot chocolate with our famous homemade marshmallow that will be toasted in front of the customers as they order. We will also be offering our homemade smores that evening.”

The Forest Park Review crew will be in the window at Grand Appliance. This year will feature a Mad Hatter theme, said Jill Wagner, the paper’s coordinator for the event.

Rich Schauer, of Schauer Hardware, said, “We are doing a live window and decorations at the hardware store. Participating in a town event, talking to customers who are NOT working on a project at the time, and just letting people know we are here and to come in and look inside for maybe the first time.”

Dan Watts, president of Forest Park Bank, explained why the bank participates in the walk. “Santa and Mrs. Claus

are all about Celebrating Christmas and ‘Giving’ to all the ‘Good’ people they care for. Similarly, Forest Park Bank is pleased to provide a venue to celebrate and to ‘Give’ back to the community that remains so ‘Good’ and loyal to this organization.”

Fantastic Sams is doing free face painting and serving free hot chocolate. Owner Kevin McCrory said, “I love the exposure to new people.”