NEW PALESTINE — A few afternoon showers could not dampen the Christmas Spirit surrounding this year’s New Palestine Winter Fest “Home for the Holidays” and “Shop-Hop.”
On a big patch of grass just off of Main Street, 3-year-old twins Madelyn and Mackenzie Thilman were running about trying to catch up to the snowflakes falling through the air coming from one of the two snow-making machines on display.
“We love it how everyone gets together,” Robert Thilman, the girl’s father said. “We love the small-town vibe and this just feels like this is a great place to raise a family.”
Good vibes were flowing all through the town for the third annual Winter Fest hosted by New Palestine Main Street and The New Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce. While showers hit just before the event opened around 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, the bad weather didn’t stick around long, and the temperatures were near 60 degrees, making for a pleasant afternoon and evening.
“God loves New Palestine Main Street” Julie Lucas, New Pal Main Street official said. “While we haven’t ever had any snow, which would be fun, we’ve been blessed with pretty good weather every year we’ve done this and we’re thankful.”
Newly elected New Palestine Town Council member Teri Reed, who is also a member of the New Palestine Main Street group who helped put the event together, noted she loved seeing everyone come together having a good time and getting into the Christmas spirit.
“I just love this,” Reed said. “I really love seeing the community all here together with happy faces, and it’s been fun getting this together for everyone.”
In addition to dozens of food and specialty vendors throughout the area just off of U.S. 52 near the Main Street building, the Chamber held a “Shop-Hop.” That event gave patrons a map to follow through town so they could visit all the businesses and pick up a stamp to show they were there. Those who visited all 30 businesses up and down Main Street had a chance to win door prices after dropping off their map at the Main Street building.
Marte McCloud is the program planner for the Chamber and said their goal for the “Shop-Hop” is for the community to get to know all the businesses in the area.
“The Chamber’s heart is to help the community know who they can shop local with,” McCloud said sitting inside Town Hall.
Town Hall was open with several business and operations that offer services out of New Palestine but don’t have a storefront for patrons to visit, such as Hancock County Senior Services and RIDE; Bee Lyvely; Sweet and Sourdough and Blatz Bakery.
“Main Street created Winter Fest and we’ve just kind of come alongside of them with our ‘Shop-Hop,’ so people can get to know us,” McCloud said.
Most of the Christmas festivities were happening near the Main Street building where people got to meet and get a photo with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus as well as see the parade which went through town around 5:15 p.m.
Still, several businesses along Main Street were decorated, just waiting for people to stop by and get to know what they have to offer. At the start of Main Street, several blocks from the main festivities, a group of workers with Home Bound Real Estate, 47 W. Main St., were having their own party.
The business owners Vickie Jordan and Joy Olson, along with the others, had the hot chocolate flowing and a nice bonfire to welcome the patrons taking part in the “Shop-Hop.”
“We love this whole idea,” said Jordan. “New Pal is such a tight-nit community with lots of home-grown mom and pop local businesses with a small-town feel, and we just love being a part of it and all the things they do along Main Street here.”
Edie Horan, who works for Home Bound Real Estate, noted while she wasn’t sure who started the annual Christmas fun, she’s very glad they did.
“It used to just be a business thing with the Christmas Walk years ago, but now with Main Street involved, it’s a business and community coming together type of thing and that connects us all back together for the holidays,” Horan said.
