The Forney City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 dealt primarily with the upcoming Hometown Christmas event, and those that will take place in the years to come. The City Council and Mayor Rozell discussed the purpose of the event, the types of vendors and entertainment, the level of city involvement, and funding for Hometown Christmas. They made suggestions for changes they would like to see take place.
The Forney City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 dealt primarily with the upcoming Hometown Christmas event, and those that will take place in the years to come. The City Council and Mayor Rozell discussed the purpose of the event, the types of vendors and entertainment, the level of city involvement, and funding for Hometown Christmas. They made suggestions for changes they would like to see take place.
Hometown Christmas has been going and growing in Forney for the last nine years. It was spawned from the original event that was known as “Christmas in the Park.” That event use to be held at Bell Park. The current Christmas celebration is held throughout historic downtown Forney. The event has been run by a committee of three members of the Forney Chamber of Commerce, but the committee has now expanded to include EDC Director Kim Buttram and Forney's new Events Coordinator Alexa Tiesman. It was important to the Council and Mayor that the City staff be active participants on the HTC Committee. He emphasized that since the event is in Forney and the City is allocating $15,000 towards the HTC again this year, he wants the City staff to be involved with planning and promotion.
Hometown Christmas traditionally kicks off with a parade down Bois D' arc, and for now that will continue. It is possible the parade route may be changed in two to three years. It was also discussed that if the event continues to grow at a rapid rate, it may be moved to the Forney Community Park. With the current focus on revitalizing downtown Forney, the debate to move the event or keep it where it is will not be easily settled.
At this time, the City Council is more concerned with ideas to improve the appearance of the event, so that it will give people, what Councilman James Hatley described as, “Warm, fuzzy feelings.” Hatley wants to make sure local vendors are well represented and he suggested finding a candle maker for the event. He felt it would help with the Winter/Christmas feel and the candle maker could teach kids how to dip candles. Councilwoman Mary Penn suggested that Christmas carolers dressed in vintage costumes could stroll the grounds and have pictures taken with those in attendance. Overall the hope is that the HTC Committee can convince vendors to do a better job displaying a Christmas theme. They are also looking at ways to decorate the downtown area even more festively than usual.
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Mayor Rozell said he would like to see more interactive things for kids to do, like the ice skating rink that was introduced and well received at last years Hometown Christmas. Committee member Denise Bell said that the ice skating rink will be back and will be even bigger this year. Mayor Rozell expressed his concern at seeing some vendors, particularly game vendors that were smoking cigarettes in front of children last year. The HTC Committee will address that concern with the vendors.
The cost of having a booth at HTC is $75 for a regular business and $50 for non-profits. The committee will be looking for volunteers to help during HTC. As more details and needs are revealed for Hometown Christmas, inForney.com will pass the information on to our readers.
Forney's Hometown Christmas for 2012 is being held on Saturday, December 1, with the parade slated to start at 9 a.m.
The photos with this article were taken by Sherri Thornhill at the 2011 Hometown Christmas.
