Bluffton's favorite holiday is Saturday, Nov. 28

The annual Blaze of Lights, sponsored by the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce, which draws hundreds of persons to the community is Saturday, Nov. 28. Here's a summary of this year's events:

Parade:
4 p.m. - The parade forms at the Centre, 601 N. Main St.
4:55 p.m. - Streetscape ribbon cutting in front of the town hall
5 p.m. - Parade from the Centre to College Avenue
Parade marshals - Greg Conkling, Carlin Carpenter, Sam Diller

Downtown events
Entertainment
4 p.m. - The Hallelujah Saints Band
4:30 p.m. - One In A Number, Bluffton Women's Chorus
6 p.m. - Bluffton High School Show Choir
6:30 p.m. - Sisters in Song (Sweet Adeline's)

Light ceremony
6:55 p.m. - John George reads the Christmas story from Luke 2. John George is the Blaze MC.
7 p.m. - Fred Steiner, Chamber CEO and creator of the Bluffton Icon, turns on the 2009 Ream Holiday Folk Art lights

Other events

This year's parade marshals are Greg Conkling, Sam Diller and Carlin Carpenter. Along with their wives, Edna Conkling, Joan Diller and Sharon Carpenter, they will lead the parade.
o Immediately following the parade - Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus meets children in the Bluffton Senior Citizen Center.
o Horse and wagon rides at the town hall. Tickets sold in the town hall lobby. This is the only night for horse and wagon rides this season. Weis Royal Carriages of Elida, provides the horse and wagon rides.
o 6 to 11 p.m. - Give of Giving light show extravaganza, East College Avenue across from Harmon Field.
7 to 9 p.m. - Bluffton Baptist Church, live nativity, 345 County Line Road.

This year's parade will be well over 60 units. One of the last-minute additions is a 14 to 20 member Thunder Ridge Trail Blazers from Shelby County. Three floats will win prizes in this year's parade. A complete parade list is elsewhere in The Icon.

Free maps available

Free maps showing locations of special residential and other lighting displays in Bluffton are available in several locations. The map is available at the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce website: www.explorebluffton.com. Printed copies of the map are available from the map mailbox on the Bluffton Presbyterian Church lawn.

The Bluffton Lions Club will sell chicken barbecue dinners from the elementary from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale from Lions members. Persons may order for take out or eat in. A drive-by pick up is available on Jackson Street. The pick-up line heads south from Vine Street.

The Bluffton Senior Citizens Center will host Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus following the parade. The Center will also serve meals throughout the afternoon and evening.

Chamber website has everything
you need to know about the Blaze
The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce website has all the up-to-date information about the 2009 Blaze of Lights.The website: explorebluffton.com has the Blaze schedule and forms for:
o entering the Bluffton residential lighting contest
o a map showing the location of most of Bluffton's holiday lighting displays.

This year many members of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce became Blaze sponsors. Through donations over $7,395 was raised by the following sponsors. In additon, the Blaze auction raised $1,250 for the Blaze.

o Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce
o Bluffton University
o The Centre
o AEP
o Greg's Pharmacy
o Bluffton Hospital
o Citizens National Bank
o Family Eye Care
o UAW Local 1327
o Bluffton Paving Co.
o Bluffton Stone Co.
o Northwest Physical Therapy
o First National Bank
o M&R Plumbing and Heating
o Kirtland Auto Sales
o Masterpiece Signs and Graphics
o Richard J. Boehr Co.
o Mennonite Mutual Aid Society
o Chiles-Laman Funeral Home
o Oscar Velasquez
o Shannon Theatre
o Common Grounds
o Family True-Value Hardware
o Bluffton Aeration Service
o Grove's Bears
o Ed Reichenbach State Farm Agency