Magical Night returns Thursday Dec. 1

Mount Vernon’s 26th annual Magical Night event will take place Thursday, Dec. 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. at several locations throughout Uptown Mount Vernon.

Thursday, Dec. 1, marks Mount Vernon’s annual Magical Night — a celebration of holiday magic that begins on the lawn of the First Street Community Center, 221 First St. NE. Volunteers from the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group (CDG) have teamed with the City of Mount Vernon to celebrate the holiday season. At 5 p.m. on Dec. 1, Santa himself will be throwing the switch unveiling Mount Vernon’s holiday lights.

This will be followed by a wide range of events along Mount Vernon’s historic First Street that will include visits and photos with Santa in the Mount Vernon Bank & Trust building, a Holiday Craft Bazaar in the basement of City Hall, a Live Nativity at Memorial Park and live music and activities in almost every Uptown building.

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New this year will be a children’s train that will run along First Street, as well as the returning Trolley Car that will be connecting all stores and events along First Street. Popular returning stops including the International and Multicultural Holiday Celebration at Cornell College’s Stoner House, sponsored by the Office of Intercultural Life, and the growing series of animatronic window displays on display in several area businesses titled “Animenagerie.” The Animenagerie, created by a volunteer committee of local artists and engineers, will be unveiling two new pieces as part of this year’s celebration. The Animenagerie window displays now include the following:

Highwire Bear, in the front window of Palisades Café, 117 1st St. NW

Bird in a Box, in the front window of Sauter, Baty & Bloomquist, 113 1st St. NW

Reindeer Games, in the front window of Fuel, 103 1st St. NE

Cat in a Tree, in the front window of Czech Feather & Down, 101 1st St. NW

Santa’s Hen House, in the front window of Iron Leaf Press, 102 1st SW

Jingles the Elf, in the front window of Big Creek Emporium, 100 1st St. SW

Precarious Piggy, in the front window of Peter Ault’s building, 120 1st St. SW

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“Hometown Holidays is always one of our most anticipated times of the year,” says Matt Siders, Chair of the Hometown Holidays Committee. “With lights and reindeer, trolley cars, a pet parade in Lisbon, and Santa Claus himself, there is something for everyone this holiday season in Mount Vernon and Lisbon. The holiday season is a great time to discover the small-town magic of these two great communities.”

Information on these and other Mount Vernon-Lisbon events is available at visitmvl.com

A complete list of holiday events is available here

About the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group exists to improve the social and economic well-being of Mount Vernon and Lisbon by capitalizing on their unique identity, assets and character. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community in 2008, and practices economic development within the context of historic preservation.

Mount Vernon was named one of America’s “10 Coolest Small Towns” by Budget Travel magazine in October of 2009. More information is available at visitmvl.com

About Main Street

The Main Street Approach is a copyrighted process of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  The Program has been used in Iowa since 1986 with a total of 56 communities having participated.  Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community on March 4, 2008 by the State of Iowa, after submitting a comprehensive application and presenting to a select board of reviewers.


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