The town of Waynesburg is preparing for the holidays, as local businesses decorate and participate in community festivities. The annual Light-Up Night will follow the WP&B Buy Local Buy Greene Holiday Challenge. 

The goal of the WP&B Buy Local Buy Greene Holiday Challenge is to have people shop primarily with local retailers from Nov.1-Dec. 6. When shopping at local shops, the goal is to secure stamps from at least 12 of 19 local businesses. There are over 10 participating businesses including 5 Kidz Kandy, Classy Cuts and Morgan’s Treasures. 

Kristy Vliet, owner of Five Kidz Kandy, has been marketing to their audience on their Facebook page, as well as posting flyers about the holiday challenge. 5 Kidz Kandy, located on 78 E High Street, participates in the light up night each year, and Vliet said it gets everyone in the “holiday spirit.”

“I really like our Light-Up Night, it has a really great feel to it,” Vliet said. “It’s like an old-fashioned Christmas.”

There are several events in the region that Vliet said her business will be attending, including some craft shows.

With the season approaching and 500 pounds of chocolate in the store, there are lots of goodies that will be made and ready for the season at Five Kidz Kandy. 

Something Vliet said she was really looking forward to is the Holiday Open House, in which the Greene County Historical Society Museum hosted an ugly Christmas sweater contest.

A challenge of the Light-Up Night is organizing volunteers serving as the Light-Up Night committee under the non-profit organization Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful. Joanne Marshall serves as the chairperson of the committee. Marshall said the holidays in Greene County serve as a time of joy to bring the community together.

“The downtown merchants and businesses, Waynesburg Borough, the County of Greene, Waynesburg University and several other organizations pull together an event that brings tradition and nostalgia,” Marshall said.

Marshall said it takes approximately 35-50 volunteers for a community event to happen, with volunteers that Marshall credits to the Waynesburg University cross-country team, the campus Red Brick Firm and Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company.

 

The annual Light-Up Night will be Friday, Dec. 6, from 5-8 p.m., with the Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6 p.m. The winners of the Holiday Challenge will be announced at the Light-Up Night.

Marshall also serves as the tourism director and said in preparation for the events going on in Greene County, she is in a position to provide “togetherness” within the small region.

“We are in a small community, and it’s a feel-good opportunity to work with our community, bring in this tradition,” Marshall said. “And [we’re trying to] create that family-friendly environment in the community.”