HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2009-12-03 Holidays in Leesburg
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Betsy Fields
Research & Communications Manager
703-771-2734
Rachael Goodwin
Special Events Supervisor
703-737-7156
Holidays in Leesburg Festivities Expanded for 2009
New Events Join Town’s Traditional Holiday Lineup
Leesburg, VA (December 3, 2009) – The Town of Leesburg’s annual Holidays in
Leesburg festivities will begin Friday, December 4, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. with the
traditional lighting of the holiday tree on the Town Green. The Tree Lighting
Ceremony will feature guest speaker Andy Johnston of Loudoun Cares, musical
performances by the Loudoun County High School Chamber Choir, the Church of the
Nazarene and Performing Arts Ministries and a Community Sing-a-Long in additional to
the lighting of the Menorah by Councilmember Ken Reid and the Holiday Tree by Mayor
Kristen Umstattd.
Following the Tree Lighting Ceremony, the Loudoun Arts Council and the Leesburg
Downtown Business Association will host the holiday version of Leesburg’s First
Friday, with music, entertainment, art shows, wine tastings and other activities. For a
full list of the evening’s activities, please visit Leesburg’s First Friday website at
www.leesburgfirstfriday.com.
Holidays in Leesburg continues on December 5 and 6, 2009 with the Holiday Arts and
Craft Show at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center. The arts and craft show hours are
Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There has been some confusion in the community and the media about the Loudoun
County Government’s issue with the nativity and other holiday displays on the County
Courthouse Grounds. While the County Courthouse is located in Leesburg, its grounds
are under the authority of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, not the Town
Council. Leesburg’s Mayor and Town Council supported the Loudoun County Board of
Supervisors’ decision to continue to allow holiday displays on the courthouse lawn, as
has been done for more than 50 years. This issue in no way affected the Town’s
expanded holiday festivities for 2009.
New for 2009, Holidays in Leesburg will include a second weekend of activities. The
annual Holiday Parade will take place on Saturday, December 12, 2009, beginning at
10:00 a.m. The parade route will begin at Ida Lee Park and travel south on King Street,
through the Historic Downtown, to Fairfax Street. Following the parade, a new event,
the Holiday Festival will celebrate the season throughout Downtown Leesburg. The
festival will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, 2009. Activities
include live entertainment, carriage rides, arcade games, ice carving demonstrations,
strolling carolers, and visits from Santa, Frosty and Rudolph.
Another new event, the Jingle Jam, a Rock n’ Roll Holiday Concert, will offer two
performances on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Tally Ho
Theatre in Downtown Leesburg. The concert will feature performances by many local
and regional artists including Todd Wright, Michael Sheppard and Stilson Greene.
Tickets are $10 and are nearly sold out. To purchase tickets, please call 703-777-1368
or visit the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center.
For more information about any of the Holidays in Leesburg activities and events,
please visit the Town of Leesburg website at www.leesburgva.gov.
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