Christmas on Vernon to be held in Ro-Na

After Thanksgiving, after Black Friday comes Small l, the day shoppers are asked to support their local business and keep their money in the community.

This Saturday, Ironton aLive will be hosting a day of activities downtown for Small Business Saturday to go along with the small businesses providing deals.

Santa’s Trolley will run continuously for free from 10 a.m.–noon making numerous stops along at 35 participating businesses.

Sam Heighton, executive director of Ironton aLive, said Black Friday is for the big box stores while Small Business Saturday is for your friends and neighbors who run businesses in Ironton.

“We’re encouraging people to come out, shop small and keep the money in Ironton.”

The Boy Scouts will be set up in the lot next to Scherer-Mountain Insurance. Next to them, stop in the Small Business Saturday Center to pick up passport for a chance to win Ironton Bucks. If it rains, the scouts and the business center will be at the Farmers Market pavilion.

“The passport, people take them to five businesses downtown and two businesses not in downtown and get them signed by the business owner to show you were in there,” explained Heighton. “Then we have a drawing at 2 p.m. First place winner gets $100 in Ironton Bucks and second place winner get $50 in Ironton Bucks. Most Ironton businesses accept Ironton Bucks, dollar for dollar.”

At the same time, Christmas on Vernon will be taking place.

But not on Vernon Street as usual because of an expected cold day with a high temperature of 35 degrees, the event is being held in the Ro-Na theater so people can shop in comfort.

There will be 30 small business vendors set up from 9 a.m.–noon and the grumpy Grinch and his friends will be there during the event.

The first ever Small Business Saturday took place on Nov. 27, 2010 and Ironton aLive started promoting it in 2012.