Forney’s Hometown Christmas Is Quickly Approaching

Denise Bell
FHTC Committee Co-Chair

November 12, 2008

Christmas is just around the corner and plans are quickly coming together for Forney’s Hometown Christmas.

Scheduled for Saturday, December 6th, the yearly Christmas festival is presented through the combined financial efforts of the City of Forney and the Forney Chamber of Commerce, with participation from numerous Forney non-profit clubs, churches, and organizations.

FHTC 2008 will begin the day with the revival of the Hometown Christmas Parade. Set to begin at approximately 9:30 a.m., the short parade route will come down historic Center Street and take a right onto Main Street, and heads towards Chestnut.

A festival map including the Parade Route and available parking areas will be published in the upcoming weeks and Free Shuttle Bus services will once again be available from the parking lot located at First Baptist Church.

As part of FHTC Opening Ceremonies, Santa will arrive in style via the parade and then come onto the Main Stage to receive the Key to the City by Forney Mayor, Darrell Grooms.

Santa will then be available for free pictures with the kids, all day, within the garden next to the Forney Sub-Courthouse.

Next on the long list of festive activities comes the 2nd Annual Hometown Christmas Pie Eating Contest. In this outrageously funny, crowd cheering contest, contestant’s line up to see who can eat their Christmas pie the fastest.

Adult residents of Forney are provided Pie Eater T-Shirts and encouraged to enter the contest to try their luck at winning the only prize, a beautiful 42’ inch, flat screen plasma television.

All contestants must be over 18, a Forney resident, and apply for a contestant slot by completing an official entry form located at www.forneyhometownchristmas.com.

Back this year will be all the activities Forney’s children have come to associate with Forney’s Hometown Christmas.

The three story high Big Blue Hippo Slide will once again be available free of charge for everyone, big and small, to enjoy.

Also provided FREE to the public by the many generous sponsors of FHTC will be six bounce houses, a giant obstacle course, a 25 ft Rock Climbing Wall, a live Christmas Pony Carousel, a Christmas Train, face painting, balloon animals, and over a dozen carnival games.

Returning to delight the child within us all, will be George the Magician accompanied by a pair of uniquely talented jugglers and a really tall stilt walker, who will each perform both in scheduled shows and while strolling festival grounds.

FHTC 2008 will also present a full array of live entertainment from two separate stage locations.

The large Main Stage will this year be located on the newly acquired Kaufman County lot located next to the Sub-Courthouse.

Adjacent to the Main Stage will be a large red and white stripped tent which will provide a covered table and chair area for comfortable stage viewing.

The second smaller stage will be located on Main Street in front of City Hall. It will host a live country and western band as well as scheduled Christmas performances throughout the day.

City Hall Charity Bingo will also be returning. Bingo cards will once again be sold for one dollar each and prizes will be large, beautifully decorated Christmas Baskets.

A snack bar concession stand will be available within the Bingo Hall. And all card sale proceeds will be donated to the senior citizens attending the Layden Senior Center in Forney.

New this year, and in a sincere effort to always raise money that goes right back to a Forney or Kaufman County charity or non-profit in need, will be the addition of three new and exciting activities at Hometown Christmas.

The Old Fashioned Dime Pitch will be located on Main Street at Trinity, next to City Bank. It is styled after the old time dime pitch game at the State Fair.

Festival goers are invited to pitch dimes in a effort to win fancy glasses, ashtrays, bowls, and mugs. All proceeds raised will benefit the newly opened, and much in need, Kaufman County Child’s Advocacy Center.

Next to the Dime Pitch, festival goers may try there luck at winning a large, fully loaded food basket at the Charity Paddle Game.

Selling numbered paddles for a dollar each and then spinning the wheel to get a winner, this fast and fun game will raise funds for the Forney Leadership Foundation.

The last new addition, but sure to be one of the day’s biggest hits, will be the Forney Police Live Bike Auction.

Considering the amount of stolen, lost, and un-recovered bikes stored by the Forney Police Department, the law that requires the FPD to auction off unclaimed property.

FPD has joined forces with Forney’s Hometown Christmas to hold a uniquely beneficial auction.

Approximately 20 bikes are being refurbished by the officer’s of the Forney Police Department. These bikes, many of which are like new, will be totally refurbished and then etched with FPD theft identification numbers.

At 3:30 p.m. as part of FHTC Closing Ceremonies, a live auction will be held on the Main Stage, where the bikes will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

As is legally required, all proceeds will be immediately directed back to the Forney Police Department to only be spent on “training” within the Forney Police Department.

If you are in need of a bike this Christmas, or simply wish to show your support of the Forney Police Department, please consider attending the Forney Police Live Bike Auction.

These bikes will be beautifully displayed at the Main Stage throughout the day and interested bidders may pick up a bidding card at the Forney Police Booth.

Shortly after the completion of the FPD Live Bike Auction, there will be a lighting of Forney’s Official Christmas Tree, and the buildings within historic downtown Forney.

All Forney’s residents, young and old, are highly encouraged to attend Forney’s Hometown Christmas and enjoy the spirit of Christmas that lives within your community.