Christmas on the Cumberland, Clarksville’s walk-through holiday light display, will open for its 10th year on November 25,  with a lighting ceremony and entertainment at Clarksville’s McGregor Park RiverWalk on Riverside Drive.

The Grand Opening Celebration next Tuesday will begin with holiday entertainment performed by the Austin Peay State University Honors Brass Quintet and Hypertension.  Clarksville’s Mayor Johnny Piper will officially light up the park during a lighting ceremony that begins at 6:30 p.m. The Mayor’s Youth Council will be serving up hot chocolate and apple cider and children will be able to visit with Santa and The Grinch.Admission to Christmas on the Cumberland is free and the event will be open nightly through January 1, 2009 unless inclement weather occurs.

Downtown visitors will enjoy an extra treat with the holiday lights extending from Public Square to University Avenue and including the newly renovated Strawberry Alley this year.   More than 300 businesses in the Central Business District, including downtown and Riverside Drive, were asked to join the holiday celebration by decorating their stores and shops for the holidays as well.

Deadline for sign-ups in the Crow Community Center Holiday 3 on 3 Invitational Basketball Tournament has been extended to November 26th by close of business.  The tournament is scheduled for December 12th and 13th.  Cost for each 4 man team is $40.00.  If you think your team is up for the challenge, it’s that time to reserve your space in the competition.  So call now!  For more information on the rules and other details concerning the tournament, contact center director Matt Nixon at 931-647-3071 or visit them at 211 Richview Road.The Kids on Crafts program will not meet next week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday but will be at Burt-Cobb Community Center at 1011 Franklin Street on Tuesday, December 2nd from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.   Drawing is the subject of the December 2nd project. We will be using our colored pencils to make Christmas Cards for the wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. and for those at Fort Campbell. The program is free and open to children ages 7 to 15 with a $5.00 center ID Card.  Adults who want to participate and have the time are welcome to join us.  Call me, Jo Huber, at 931-645-7476 for more information on this project and how you can help!

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Grand Opening of the 10th Annual Christmas on the Cumberland at the McGregor Park River Walk this Tuesday, November 25th at 6:30 p.m.  The prelude entertainment will kick-off at 5:30 p.m. with Austin Peay State University Honors Brass Quintet and the holiday sounds of  Austin Peay State University Honors Brass Quintet .  The actual lighting ceremony will start at 6:30 p.m. and then the infamous flipping of the switch will reveal all the beautiful decorations featuring over 1 million lights in displays and illuminating trees that will mark the official holiday season at  Austin Peay State University Honors Brass Quintet .  I hear through the grapevine that the Jolly Ole Gent in Red just might appear himself during the opening.

The Opening Ceremony will kick-off the holiday entertainment at 5:30 p.m. with Austin Peay State University Honors Brass Quintet.  Immediately following will be the holiday jazzy sounds of Hypertension.  After the entertainment and much anticipation, Mayor Johnny Piper along with City Council Members will flip the switch that will begin the official holiday season at McGregor Park River Walk.

This year’s Christmas on the Cumberland event will be decorated with beautiful Christmas villages along with several other holiday scenes featuring over a million twinkling lights. Children of all ages will enjoy scenes like Santa’s Workshop, snow skiing elves, Santa’s Express Train, gingerbread boys and girls, skating bears, and two tunnels of amazing dancing lights. A custom-made light display featuring the 101st Airborne Division emblem will once again adorn the pedestrian overpass in honor of our community’s men and women serving at Ft. Campbell and around the world.

It will be an exciting time during the Holiday Season for Clarksville.  Don’t forget that Santa is scheduled to make several visits to the Christmas on the Cumberland event which is scheduled to be open nightly from November 25th through January 1st.  Event hours are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday through January 1st. Admission is free.

For more information on this event and for the entire holiday entertainment schedule at McGregor Park, go to the website at www.christmasonthecumberland.com or call 645-7444 for more information.