Voices rose in song from the audience as lights beautified the large spruce Memory Tree on Seventh Ave. The choir of youths led the crowd in familiar Christmas and Seasonal songs on Nov. 24.
This night was also the kick-off for a month of late Thursday shopping in Virden. On this calm winter evening, with temperatures around the freezing mark, families were out on Virden streets shopping and taking in special events that included a ‘sleigh’ ride, photos with The Grinch and story reading at the library.
Although he was rather large and quite green The Grinch at Custom Creations store drew kids for picture time. “It was wonderful,” said staff from Custom Creations. Alicia Talbot has a soft heart for animals and she organized the event as a fundraiser for Virden Pet Network.
Shoppers were in and out of the downtown stores and MJ’s Coffee Bar and Bistro on Nelson St. was open.
Just outside the coffee shop, Joe, Cathy, and son Luc Plett’s gentle team of Percherons were taking on a load of passengers – from kids to seniors. The wagon rides began at 6 p.m. and were due to finish at 8:30 p.m. They were a huge hit, with line-ups all evening to mount the rack and sit on straw bales for the tour around the downtown. The steady clop of the steel shod hooves was a trademark of the horse drawn tour.
Howard Hole’s creativity shone along side the Memory Tree name board. He created lighted ice sculptures. Simple but classy lighted winter arrangements.
Gina Bradbury, organizer of the Light Up, provided a $5,000 check, from the Light Up donations, to the Town of Virden to be used for cemetery improvements.
