SNOW HILL — The town of Snow Hill is having its fifth annual Christmas Extravaganza from 6-9 p.m. Friday in the historic downtown.
A small tree planted in the town parking lot will be lit at 6 p.m., Town Administrator Dana Hill said.
“I hope there’s a good turnout,” he said. “It gives folks an opportunity to enjoy one another during the Christmas season.”
A number of businesses and restaurants will be open and, of course, Santa Claus will be in town.
Business storefronts will be judged before the event starting at 4 p.m.
Sticks and More, a local gift shop on Second Street featuring its popular tobacco sticks and gourmet items, will host an appearance by Santa Claus.
“Santa is arriving by horse and carriage at Sticks and More at 6:15,” said the store’s owner, Molly Murphrey.
E.L. Photography will be available to take photos with Santa.
Steven Dail, owner of Out of this World Entertainment, will bring a photo booth for pictures with Santa at Hardy’s Appliance & Furniture.
“It gives them an instant postcard,” Hardy’s owner Carl Hardy said.
There will be plenty of entertainment, exhibits and food vendors.
“I think we’re going to have more people despite the cold,” said Nita Smith, one of the organizers.
She is heading up an exhibit of artwork brought in by Carola Jones, a potter, Tuscaran Indian and art instructor at Wilson Community College. The exhibit, inside the Minshew building, will include some Tuscaroran artwork.
Smith will have copies of “The Tuscarora War” and “Snow Hill Billies” on DVD for sale.
Also in the Minshew building, local Girl Scouts will be collecting coats for the needy, event organizer Gene Riddle said.
The museum will host Suzuki violin students, along with the current “Wild Pungo” exhibit, Director Sharon Ginn said.
The Snow Hill Lions Club will be selling hotdogs and American Legion Post 532 will sell doughnuts at the Chamber’s Enterprise building.
Activities for children include bounce houses and a petting zoo.
The young and young at heart can enjoy horse and carriage rides by Harper Landscaping and Tony Barrow and a live nativity scene at Calvary United Methodist Church, 107 W. Greene St.
A stage will be set up downtown featuring chorus groups from Snow Hill Primary, West Greene Elementary, Greene County Intermediate and Greene County Middle schools, and the Ramblers from Greene Central.
Greene County and Farmville’s male chorus groups and Larissa Tripp and students from Limited DanceWorks of Snow Hill will also perform.
Riddle said the event has drawn as many as 3,000 people.
“They get to meet people and see friends they haven’t seen in a long time,” he said.
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.