John Humphrey (l) and Bernie Hamby, owners of A & J Boat Docks & Welding Service, inspect a portion of the stage that will be used at the Holidays in Olde Lincoln Town Festival Saturday. The event will feature a variety of entertainment including the Paradise Seekers, the Abundant Life Church of God Mime Team, and Fancy Footworks. The festival is sponsored each year by the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas," especially during the Holidays in Olde Lincoln Towne Festival set for Saturday, December 2.

The event is sponsored annually by the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the 2006 Lincolnton Holiday Parade, which starts at 3 p.m., other activities scheduled for the day include:

Extended shopping hours, sales, special promotions, open houses, and drawings sponsored by various merchants in town.

For a complete listing of all festival activities, see the chamber's advertisement on page 8.

The Lincoln County Library Winter Festival, 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library (FOL), the festival will feature children's games, face painting, a mega book sale, and food, including homemade chicken and dumplings and baked goods.

A mega book sale will take place at the Lincoln County Library in conjunction with the Holidays in Olde Lincoln Towne Festival set for December 2. Pictured sorting through books in preparation for the sale are Crystal Juhasz (l), library volunteer; Rhonda Hogan (c), assistant librarian; and Cindy Juhasz, library volunteer. In addition to the book sale, there will also be face painting, games, great food, and more at the library on Saturday. These activities are being sponsored by the Friends of the Library. The FOL's "Step Back In Time" calendar for 2007 will also be on sale at this time.

Photos with Santa.

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Santa Claus will be at Koehler Galleries to have his picture made with the children of the community.

Toy Drive.

Lincoln County Family Connection will be accepting toys for the Secret Santa Program from 12 until 6 p.m. at its office on Main Street.

Entertainment.

Beginning at 12:30 p.m., there will be plenty of entertainment on a special stage set up by A & J Boat Docks & Welding Service at Austin & Jordan's Building, located at the intersection of Main Street and Peachtree Street.

The scheduled performers include Shannon & Friend, Jennifer Poss Ashworth, Renae Bolton, Maxine Whisnant, the Paradise Seekers, the Abundant Life Church of God Worship Team, the Abundant Life Church of God Mime Team, Les and Joan Goddard, and Fancy Footworks.

The sound will be provided by Benton Belangia.

Crafters, food vendors, and other attractions will be found throughout the city. The list includes:

North Peachtree Street - American Legion Post 194, corn dogs, lemonade Slushies, French fries, and sweet treats; Netashia Bacino, designer paint cans; Double Branches Baptist Church, barbecue chicken plates; Get Personal, embroidered and screen-printed gifts.

Carol Hawkins, handmade wind chimes; LCHS Cheerleaders, Red Devil spirit items; Linda's Basketcase and More, gift baskets, handbags, and jewelry; Andrea Montion, cranberry rosemary vinegar, apple chutney, jams, jellies, butters, and preserves; New Work Baptist Church, baked goods and boiled peanuts.

Paradise Barbecue; Shirley Pinkston, Tupperware; Jamie Reese (located in front of her residence at 220 Peachtree Street), furniture, household items, and decorations; American Cancer Society Relay For Life, a luminary sale to raise funds for the ACS; the UGA Cooperative Extension Service, funnel cakes and hot drinks; and Barbara Ware, water color artist.

Main Street - Irene Bryant, jewelry, toys, pocketbooks, hats, and more; Glenda Freeman, women's apparel, jewelry, bags, and purses; Lincoln County Family Connection, turkey legs, sausage dogs, chicken wings, vinegar fries, soft drinks, hot cider, and hot chocolate; Danny and Venice Merck, collectibles, wooden bird houses and feeders, plant stands, decorated plates, and more.

MerleAnn's Sandwich Shoppe, vegetable soup, cornbread, chili, cinnamon twists with nuts, muffins, coffee, and soft drinks; Newberry Missionary Baptist Church, grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks; Southern Siding & Window Company, promotional information; and Judy Webb, handmade beaded jewelry.

The chamber gift drawing at 5:45 p.m.

The door prize extravaganza will take place at the chamber's hospitality tent near the stage at Austin & Jordan's Building. To enter the drawing, shoppers must turn in receipts from purchases made Saturday at any business in the county owned and/or operated by a chamber member. The receipts must show either the name of the business or the signature of the sales clerk.

The prizes for the drawing are being donated by B & J Appliances and Signs, Classic Cuts, Goldman & Wengrow, Jericho Florist & Gifts, Koehler Galleries, The Coop at Cliatt Crossing, The Jeweler's Bench, and Those Two Sisters.

Participants must be present to win.

Since the streets will be closed for most of the day, visitors are asked to park at the following locations: Lincolnton Presbyterian Church, the Lincoln County Farm Bureau, Lincoln Loan Company, Powell & Associates, Wright-Jones Funeral Home, the chamber of commerce office.

Farmers State Bank, Dr. Gregory Griffin's office, Maxway, Clark Hill Rentals, State Farm Insurance, Lincolnton United Methodist Church, the Lincoln County Courthouse, Commercial Insurance Services, the parking lots at LCMS/LCHS, The Lincoln Center, Wilkes Telephone & Electric Company, and the Lincoln County Health Department (handicapped parking only).

Those who have difficulty getting around may also take advantage of the chamber's shuttle service, courtesy of Club Car of Augusta. Serving as shuttle pick-up points are State Farm Insurance, Commercial Insurance Services, LCMS/LCHS, Wilkes Telephone & Electric, and the health department.

Vendors are asked to park at LCHS.

In her comments, Tiwanna Ferguson, chamber president, cordially invited everyone to come out and enjoy a day filled with fun, food, fellowship, entertainment, and great bargains.

She went on to request that Bell's Food Market customers enter the parking lot from Ward Avenue. A portion of the lot will be designated for downtown shoppers.

In other remarks, Ferguson expressed her appreciation to the STAR Sponsors who helped make the festival possible. They are: A & J Boat Docks and Welding Service, Jeff and Sheri Easter, Inc., Commercial Insurance Services, B & J Appliances and Signs, Cliatt Crossing, Defoor Realty, Fast Times Enterprises, Inc., the Georgia Power Company, Wilkes Telephone & Electric Company, Cox Brothers Builders, Inc., Southern Cleaning Products, Inc., Lee Builders, Inc., Turner Realty, Whitestone Utility Services, LLC, Linda's Basketcase and More, and Newberry Missionary Baptist Church.

Joyce Crumbley and Melissa Burgess are serving as co-chairmen of the chamber's Holidays in Olde Lincoln Towne Committee.

For more information about the holiday festival, contact the chamber of commerce at 1-706-359-7970.