Staff Report

WARSAW — First Friday organizer Paula Bowman hopes that Warsaw’s First Friday for December “gets (people) in the holiday spirit.”

Hometown Holly Days is the theme for the event on Friday, Dec. 3. It features a variety of activities.

From 5-9 p.m. carriage rides will be offered downtown. Santa’s house will be open downtown for visits during that time. From 5 p.m. until supplies run out, at Latte Lounge, 108 N. Buffalo St. kids can do an ornament make-it, take it craft.

At 5:30 p.m. local artist Marc Eckel is expected to complete a Little Drummer Boy-themed art piece through a Splat Experience performance. It only lasts about five minutes, so visitors should be sure to arrive at the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s cannon plaza in time to see it.

The Twinkle Light Parade is at 6 p.m. and will travel from Center Street to Indiana Street then to Central Park and back around.

At Central Park, the light display will be lit as part of the Light Up the Night from 6-8 p.m. Santa will be walking around the park for interactions with kids starting at 6 p.m. The first 500 kids at the park will receive glow necklaces and a goody bags with crafts, coloring pages and more.

Following the end of the parade, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church of Warsaw will present the reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s Christmastime journey on the courthouse square.

Bowman said she hopes visitors will also do some Christmas shopping downtown during the event.

For Bowman, it will be her last First Friday to plan. She is retiring from the position and representatives of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce will be in charge of First Fridays thereafter.