SPRUCE PINE — Small Business Saturday in Spruce Pine marched on despite the ongoing pandemic but the festivities took on a completely virtual format.
Locals were encouraged to don their face coverings and shop small at Spruce Pine’s downtown merchants throughout the day on Saturday, Nov. 28.
Spruce Pine Main Street also held a series of special events that were streamed live on the organization’s Facebook page starting at 5:30 p.m. with a special reading of the Polar Express by Bruce Ikard.
“This is definitely different from anything we’ve done in the past,” Ikard said. “It’s an opportunity to get together and enjoy a good story.”
Following Ikard’s reading, the winners of the Fraser fir Christmas tree giveaway were announced.
Participants entered for a chance to win a tree by submitting receipts from their downtown purchases during the month of November. The Grove Church donated the trees.
Laura Townsend, Summer Carpenter, Mary Woody, Cody Crowder, Marsha Whitson and Tammy Carpenter won trees.
The evening of virtual events concluded with a live stream of the annual lighting of the tree in Central Park on Lower Street.
“I’d much rather be on Upper Street talking on the radio about the Christmas parade,” Ikard said. “Maybe next year. Hopefully, we’ll get to do it by then.”