Excitement surrounds expanded Christmas on the Square

Published 11:30 am Wednesday, November 14, 2018

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Not only will the 34th annual Christmas on the Square be bigger than ever, the Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce is planning on it being better than ever as well.

“It’s going to be the best one yet,” Chamber President Brandon Fernald said.

For the first time, the downtown festival will spread over three days with vendors being set up for two days.

The festival will open Thursday evening, Nov. 29, with the ribbon cutting and tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. before the Jingle Bell Fun Run/Walk starts and ends at Millennium Park. At its conclusion, a Christmas movie will be played in the park with hot chocolate, popcorn and cookies.

“We really wanted to turn that into this huge community family piece,” Chamber Executive Director Jimmy Norris said of the Thursday night festivities. “There’s something about being downtown at night. It feels different.

“Everything will be lit up and going at night downtown. I’m just looking forward to that.”

The movie has not yet been selected with the community being able to vote from five titles — The Grinch, The Polar Express, Elf, Home Alone and The Santa Clause — to determine the winner. Voting is open on the Christmas on the Square Facebook page and website.

The biggest change to Christmas on the Square then comes Friday, Nov. 30. Food and craft vendors will be open for business starting at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon through 10 p.m. before reopening Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“In order to try and pull this off, you’ve got to be excited about it,” Fernald said, adding the expansion was a decision years in the making. “I’m excited about it because you have to be.”

With the festival expanding to Friday afternoon, streets will be closed starting at 6 a.m. Friday through 9 p.m. Saturday.

With the street closures and vendors setting up in the area, there will also be parking changes for the Suwannee County offices, which will remain open. Parking will be available for customers of the Tax Collector’s office and the courthouse at the Judicial Annex on Parshley Street, with handicap parking for courthouse accessible from Ohio Ave. immediately south of the courthouse.

“We really appreciate the cooperation of the City of Live Oak and the county and their offices working with us,” Norris said.

In addition to the booths, Snow on the Square is returning Friday night to the festival as well as a fireworks show.

More than 30 tons of snow will be dropped on downtown Live Oak for the night with an additional slide added as well after last year’s initial snow event.

The festival, which also will once again include Santa Land, live entertainment, a car show and ag exhibit, will last throughout Saturday, concluding with the lighted Christmas parade at 6 p.m.

“I’m excited about the whole weekend,” Norris said, adding the Chamber is still looking for volunteers, particularly with the expanded children’s area with the bounces houses and a sack slide as well as the snow area Friday night.

“The board wanted to get back to more of a focus of a Christmas-type festival. And we’ve tried to enhance it each year.”