The Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce has Christmas on their minds these days.
The Mitchell County Chamber’s second annual Mountain Christmas Trail of Lights The Trail of Lights will go from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Bakersville and beyond beginning November 26 and ending on December 26.
“This project was a huge success last year,” said Patti Jensen, Mitchell County Chamber Director. “We were blown away by the number of businesses and home owners that participated in the first Trail of Lights. Over 100 homes and businesses participated and both Spruce Pine and Baskerville hosted holiday events covering every weekend in December.
“The event was enjoyed by our local citizens and also by the many visitors who came to enjoy our community. The Trail of Lights also helped support of local businesses in the county by marketing to visitors who came to enjoy the trail, the events and shopped and ate in local businesses. This year, our small businesses need this shot in the arm more than ever.”
The chamber invites all businesses, homes and churches along Highway 226 from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Bakersville, as well as businesses in downtown Spruce Pine and Bakersville, to sign on to decorate their homes, yards or buildings with lights this year.
They aren’t stopping there, though, as they are inviting neighborhoods to get together and decorate as well to be added to the trail as extensions.
“When we say from the Parkway to Bakersville and Beyond, we mean it,” Jensen said. “We want the entire community to participate from Spruce Pine to Bakersville, Little Switzerland to Loafer’s Gory, Buladean to Fork Mountain and Red Hill. From one end of the county to the other.”
The chamber will be providing a prize to the light display judged as the Best of the Mountain Christmas Trail this year for both a home and a business.
In addition, the chamber is working with local towns and organizations on a calendar of events for the holidays and is asking for local organizations, businesses and churches who are hosting a holiday event to send their information as soon as possible to the Chamber at pjensen@mitchellcountychamber.org.
“We know that this is an unusual year for everyone and COVID is impacting every traditional event,” Jensen said. “However, our hope is that we can create a holiday calendar of events that is packed full of things for locals and visitors to do as well as encourage people to create new holiday events this year from Thanksgiving until Christmas.
“Whether your holiday event is planned in person or virtually, contact the chamber to be added to the Trail of Lights calendar. The chamber has met with several interested people from across the county to begin the holiday planning and some are already planning new events. We are excited to see everyone’s enthusiasm for the trail and for new event ideas.”
The chamber is asking the public to follow the Facebook page for A Mountain Christmas Trail of Lights and begin to help spread the word.
Everyone is also encouraged to visit amountainchristmastrailoflights.com to learn more about the trail and see holiday events as they are added.
“The Trail of Lights began as a way for our community to come together to celebrate the holiday season and to offer it as a gift to our citizens and visitors,” Jensen said. “This year more than ever, we all need this.”