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Published December 04, 2008, 12:00 AM

River Dazzle Dayz offers seasonal fun

After 10 years of enjoying the River Dazzle parade and lighting of downtown holiday decorations, Dazzle organizers and downtown businesses decided to extend the celebration.

By: Debbie Griffin, River Falls Journal

After 10 years of enjoying the River Dazzle parade and lighting of downtown holiday decorations, Dazzle organizers and downtown businesses decided to extend the celebration.

Guests can enjoy more activities than ever during the traditional Friday-after-Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, event:

  • 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Take in the Art Crawl at participating retailers with artist-donated prizes drawn Saturday after the crawl ends at 2 p.m.

  • 1-4:30 p.m.: Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus plus reindeer, llamas and camels.

  • See special holiday movies at the Falls Theatre (check Web site or marquee for times).

  • 2-6 p.m.: Sample and judge chili entered in the cook off.

  • 4:30-6 p.m.: Hitch a free hayride around town, loading at Veterans Park.

  • 5:30 p.m.: Watch the downtown tree lighting.

  • 5:45 p.m.: Win Santa Bucks through a drawing in Veterans Park. Entrants can buy the special raffle tickets at the Chamber of Commerce office.

  • 6:15 p.m.: Hear in Veterans Park who won the chili cook off.

  • 6:30 p.m.: See the lighted River Dazzle parade roll by, with a traveling trophy awarded for the most dazzling entry.

    Expect the evening to also include costumed carolers strolling around and Kiwanis Club members serving complimentary hot drinks in front of Foster Sports on Main Street.

    The Business Improvement District (BID) Board, a group of merchants who belong to the Downtown Business Association, and other sponsors banded together to make the events happen and add more festivities.

    Breakfast-with-Santa Saturdays begin after Thanksgiving and continue through Dec. 20. Santa will appear 9-11 a.m. at four downtown businesses, each on a different Saturday. Prices for adult breakfasts will vary:

  • Nov. 29 at The South Fork Café

  • Dec. 6 at The Dish and Spoon Café

  • Dec. 13 at Dairy Queen

  • Dec. 20 at Bo’s ‘N Mine.

    Another part of River Dazzle Dayz has downtown retailers offering Thursday specials 5-8 p.m. three weeks in a row: Dec. 4, 11 and 18.

    Get a free ice cream or root beer float at Riverwalk Mercantile, 15% off at Brite Idea photography, special prices and free gift wrapping at Global M.A.D.E., half-price wine and sake cocktails at Dish and the Spoon Café, $3 blended coffees at Kinni Coffee, a one-month gift membership at Curves, free five-ounce shampoo with services from Off the Top, free herbal tea from Earth Angels and a chair-massage gift certificate with purchase of $20 or more, 20% off entire bill at South Fork Café, $2 off hemming at the Custom Needle Alterations, special taco prices at Bo’s ’N Mine, discounted domestic pints at Johnnie’s, 10% off specialty drinks at the Hot Spot, and free cider and cookies inside Security Finance as well as a drawing for a $50 gift card to EconoFoods.

    Horizon Family Chiropractic offers parents’ night out 4:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 11, as a thank-you to its customers as well as a perk for busy parents who need a few hours to shop downtown. The evening at Horizon will include for kids stories, movies, crafts, refreshments and prizes. An RSVP to 426-4774 is required for each child.

    Most of the businesses doing a Thursday special are staying open a bit later to give people a better chance to check out local wares. River Dazzle organizers and sponsors put it together to give people additional incentive to shop downtown and to have close-to-home holiday fun.

    People will see a red stocking and River Dazzle Dayz posters hanging in the windows of participating businesses. Those stores will sell raffle tickets good for in-store discounts, free goodies and a chance to win one of the 12 drawings in December.

    A winner will be drawn at the Chamber office daily beginning Dec. 8, and ticket holders can win Chamber Checks of varying amounts: $50, $100, $250 and $500.

    At a Downtown Business Association meeting last week, people reported that 17 entrants were cooking chili this year and about 25 organizations have registered to be in the parade.

    People can get more information from participating downtown businesses or from the Chamber office. Log on to the Web site at www.rfchamber.com or call at 425-2533.

    Look for a River Dazzle Dayz advertising wrap with the complete schedule in next week’s Journal.

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