Light Up Vermilion to take place tonight

VERMILION — The city will be aglow with holiday ambiance tonight as Light Up Vermilion kicks off a season of cheer. The community Christmas tree lighting, a longtime tradition, is moving to a new location in Exchange Park, at the northeast corner of Liberty Avenue and Main Street. Mayor Jim Forthofer will do the honors of turning on the lights to officially usher in the season as part of a night of Light Up Vermilion festivities planned 5-8 p.m. Vermilion stores and restaurants will be open late and are decorated for the holidays. The tree lighting is at 6 p.m. To help the mayor, Santa Claus will arrive by firetruck, bringing a bag of small gifts for children and posing for photos. The Vermilion Community Band, directed by George Harizal, will perform its free annual concert at the Ritter Public Library at 7 p.m. Carolers from Grace United Methodist Church and Vermilion Evangelical and Reformed Church will perform throughout the evening around town. Alpacas, "Vermilion's answer to reindeer" according to event organizers, will be on hand in Exchange Park for visits and petting, and Kingston Lion, the mascot for Kingston of Vermilion, will be strolling through to pass out candy canes. The Vermilion Rotary Club will pass out roasted chestnuts to visitors and the Letters to Santa mailbox will be posted outside the Main Street Vermilion building. Children are welcome to stop by and post their special letters to the North Pole until Christmas Eve for guaranteed delivery to the North Pole. A scavenger hunt sponsored by Main Street Vermilion invites kids and families to search for clues in and around town and earn a chance to win a cash prize. Vermilion stores and restaurants will be open late and are decorated for the holidays. Visitors are invited to vote for their favorite displays at Main Street to earn the businesses a cash prize. Main Street Vermilion is at 685 Main St. For information, visit mainstreetvermilion.org or its Facebook or Instagram pages. Contact Rini Jeffers at rinijeffers@gmail.com.