Three long-time Bluffton community supports will serve as 2009 Blaze of Lights parade marshals and the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce CEO will turn on the Blaze lights during the Nov. 28, downtown Bluffton celebration.

According to Beverly Amstutz of the Bluffton Cultural Affairs Committee, parade marshals are Sam Diller, Bluffton attorney, Carlin Carpenter, former Bluffton University football coach, and Greg Conkling, Bluffton pharmacist. Fred Steiner, CEO of the Bluffton Chamber and creator of The Bluffton Icon, will turn on the lights of the Ream holiday folk art display.

The cultural affairs committee chooses the parade marshals and the person who will turn on the Ream lights. The committee is also in charge of the Ream lights display.

All other events of the Blaze are projects of the chamber. Elaine Harris chairs the Blaze committee.

With the announcement of the marshals and light switch dignitary, most Blaze events are now confirmed. Here is the updated Blaze information.

Blaze auction
A Blaze kick-off event is planned Friday, Nov. 20, at The Centre. The Nov. 20 kick-off event is an auction featuring several new activities. In addition to an auction, the evening includes an art exhibit by Bluffton High School students, a gingerbread house contest, musical entertainment, and food. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the auction start at 6 p.m.

Prior to the auction, the Lima Trinity United Methodist Church bell choir will perform from 5:30 to 6 p.m. An auction-type supper will be available. The menu includes barbecue beef sandwiches, shredded chicken sandwiches, soft drinks, potato chips and cookies. Food will be sold will the auction proceeds.

Art contest
The popular art contest, started last year, will feature works by Bluffton High School freshman and sophomore art students. Students will enter one work based on the Blaze theme "Home for Christmas." Entries will be judged during the auction. Winner will be announced at the auction conclusion. Trophies will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners. All artists who enter works will receive ribbons. Last year's show attracted 34 art works.

Gingerbread house contest
Any community member is invited to enter the contest. Entry forms explaining the rules are available in several Main Street businesses and is on the explorebluffton.com (Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce) website. Gingerbread entries will be judged during the evening. Ribbons and certificates will be awarded to the first, second and third place creations. In addition, a people's choice award will be given to one entry. The people's choice winner will be determined by the amount of money that entry receives in a "voting" process by persons attending the event. The people's choice winner will receive a $50 savings bond.

An entry fee of $5 per gingerbread house is being asked. That fee will be waved if the entrant agrees to allow the gingerbread house to be auctioned later in the evening. (Persons entering are not required to have their entry part of the auction.)

Auction agenda
This year's auction is open to the public. There is no admission charge. In addition to auction items to be solicited from businesses, interested individuals may donate auction items. The committee asks that the donated items be of good quality. Mitch Johns of Oakwood has volunteered his services to be the auctioneer. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Blaze of Lights. Businesses may contact either Elaine Harris or Fred Steiner if they have auction items.

Saturday, Nov. 28

Main Street window decorating
On Blaze Saturday, several events are planned. A Main Street retail district holiday window decorating contest will be judged. The judging will take place on Saturday morning. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Businesses will be encouraged to decorate windows based on this year's Blaze theme "Home for Christmas." Prizes include a $50 pizza party from Luke's Bar and Grill for the first place window. Ribbons and certificates will be presented to the second and third place window.

State Route 103 decorating contest
New to this year's Blaze is a separate contest for businesses on State Route 103, starting at Colonial Surface Solutions all the way to the Interstate 75 overpass. Three winners will be chosen. Winners will receive ribbons and certificates. State Route judging takes place on Friday evening, Dec. 4.

Residential decorating contest
Several changes will take place in this year's residential decorating contest. Any residence within the Village of Bluffton corporation limits may enter. Four prizes will be awarded:
o Best theme (Home for Christmas)
o Best light display
o Best religious display
o Best general decoration
Judging will take place Friday evening, Dec. 4. Each winner will receive a sign to be placed on their lawn, indicating their award. In addition, each winner will receive a $50 Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce gift certificate. Persons interested in having their decorations judged may enter the contest. Entry forms will be available soon.

Parade - entertainment
Entertainment downtown will be take placed from 4 to 5 p.m. and following the parade until 7 p.m. when the Blaze of Lights are turned on. Entertainers include the Bluffton High School show choir and Sisters in Song (Sweet Adeline's). Other performers are tentative at the moment.

This year's parade will form at 4 p.m. in The Centre parking lot. The parade will begin at 5 p.m. A first, second and third prize will be awarded to the top floats. Each winner will receive a trophy. Judging will take place at The Centre parking lot. Float winners will be announced during the parade. Parade entry forms will be available soon.

According to Junior Weihrauch, parade coordinator, already nearly 25 units have pre-registered for the parade. This is a higher number of pre-registrations compared to October of 2008, according to Weihrauch. Persons wanting to be part of the parade may contact Weihrauch, 20791 State Route 68, Arlington, Ohio 45814, or call him at 419-365-5304.

Parade applications will also be on the explorebluffton.com (chamber) website soon. The deadline for signing up to participate in the parade is Nov. 21.

Food
Bluffton Lions Club will offer a Harlan's chicken barbecue from 4 to 7 p.m., on Blaze night. Meals are available at the elementary school. Meals may be picked up or eaten in the elementary. Tickets are now on sale from any Lion member.

Bluffton Senior Citizens will offer their traditional Blaze supper. The menu will be released soon.

The chamber asks other organizations planning to offer food to contact the chamber at [email protected]. Those groups will be included in the Blaze publicity.

Concessions stands will be located on East Elm Street between Groves Bears and the town hall on Blaze night.

Main Street garlands
Garlands in the business district will be hung by the Bluffton Volunteer Fire Department. The garlands will be hung on Saturday morning, Nov. 14. In case of bad weather, the garlands will be hung on Saturday, Nov. 21. Dan Bowden, fire chief, is asking businesses to place their garlands outside their front door on Friday evening. Each business will be billed from the chamber to pay for the garlands to be hung.

Horse and wagon rides
On the night of the Blaze horse-drawn wagon rides will be provided by Weis Royal Carriages of Elida. A new opportunity this year is the option to ride in the horse-drawn wagon in the Blaze parade. The wagon seats 20 persons. During the Nov. 20 auction the 20 seats will be auctioned.

On Blaze night, beginning at 7:30 p.m. from the town hall, the horse-drawn carriage rides will embark. Tickets for those rides will be sold in the town hall lobby. Tickets on Blaze light are $4 for persons 11 and older and $2 for youth 10 and under. Children who can sit on an adult lap have no charge.

Wagon rides will continue two Saturdays in December. Those wagon rides will be pulled by a truck, compliments of Twin Lakes Park. Wagon rides will start and stop at the Common Grounds Coffee House, at the corner of Main and Cherry. Tickets will be available in the coffee house. December ticket charges are $2 for adults and $1 for youth. Depending up the weather and demand for tickets, a wagon rides may also be offered on Saturday, Dec. 19.

Blaze calendar
Nov. 7 - Electrical set-up for the Blaze of Lights
Nov. 14 - Blaze display set-up
Jan. 9 - Blaze take down
Nov. 20 - Blaze auction, gingerbread house contest, art contest,
The Centre, doors open 5 p.m., 6 p.m. auction
Nov. 28 - Blaze of Lights
Morning - Retail window judging
3 p.m. - Main Street closed to vehicles
4 p.m. - Parade line up at The Centre
5 p.m. - Blaze Parade
4 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. - Downtown entertainment
7 p.m. - Ream holiday folk art lights go on
Dec. 4 - Judging of residential, Main Street and State Route 103 holiday decorations

Gift of Giving

For the second year, the Gift of Giving light show of 10,000 + lights will be on display from the Blaze night to New Year's Eve. The show is on East College Avenue across from Harmon Field stadium. The show will be presened each evening at no admission charge. Last year it is estimated that 5,000 persons viewed the light show.

Other events? Please contact the chamber
Several other holiday-related events take place in Bluffton. The chamber asks persons in charge of those activities to contact Fred Steiner, 419-889-3065 or at [email protected]. All community holiday activities will be included in chamber publicity.