The City of Franklin, Indiana

Franklin's Hometown Holiday

Friday and Saturday 

Friday, November 30^th -  3rd Annual Candlelight Walk

Sponsored by Discover Downtown Franklin

6:00 - 9:00pm

-          City sidewalks to be lit with luminaries

-          Santa taking wish lists at the Museum - free photos

-          cookies, hot chocolate and Pickles the Clown on the Courthouse lawn

-          merchants holding special holiday sales and giveaways

-          area churches offering holiday concerts and tours of decorated sanctuaries

-          costumed historical characters roaming the City streets, telling the stories of historic buildings, historic photos displayed

-          Shopping Pass (Valid November 30^th through December 25^th)  Each time a purchase is made at a downtown business your shopping pass is validated by that business.  Complete your shopping pass and turn it in to be entered in a drawing for $25 to $100 gift certificates to downtown businesses.

-          Free Trolley rides throughout downtown

-          A Christmas Story movie at the Artcraft (7:30pm)

Saturday, December 1^st - 49th Annual Holiday Lighting

Sponsored by Franklin Chamber of Commerce

1:30 pm  Holiday Lighting Parade on Jefferson Street

2:00 pm  Cookie Contest at Mutual Bank

3:00 pm  Santa Arrives at the Museum

                A Christmas Story movie matinee at the Artcraft

5:30 pm  FFA Fun Zone of Kiddie Games at the Courthouse

                 Carriage, Firetruck, Bus and Trolley Rides

6:00 pm  Lighting at the Indiana Masonic Home

7:00 pm  Lighting of the Courthouse

7:05 pm  Jingle Jog at the Courthouse

7:30 pm A Christmas Story movie at the Artcraft

Special Notes of Interest

·         Celebration being expanded to 2 evenings

·         Over 200 volunteers involved in the event

·         Lighting the Courthouse in Franklin has been a longer standing tradition than the lighting of Monument Circle!  Franklin's tradition started in 1958, Indy's in 1962

·         Discover Downtown Franklin will bring back a tradition from the 50's - members will toss out "snowballs" to the crowd - they will contain coupons for special discounts or prizes from downtown Franklin businesses

·         Trolleys have been restored by Scott Graham at Generations Collision and the Franklin Parks Department - will offer free rides to give folks tours of Downtown

·         FFA Fun Zone of Kiddie Games to be expanded to include more games such a water reindeer game, basket toss, corn hole, mini golf and ring toss

·         Free firetruck and horse-drawn carriage rides around the Courthouse

·         Indiana Masonic Home conducting a special Lighting ceremony at 6pm - will officially illuminate numerous displays that include over 100,000 lights

·         Franklin Methodist Community displaying over 1000 luminaries

·         Cookie Contest will be expanded to include a gingerbread house contest

·         Jingle Jog sponsored this year by the Franklin High School Cross Country Team - participants will receive jingle bells to tie to their shoe laces and will run/jog from the Courthouse to the Indiana Masonic Home where they will enjoy treats and hot chocolate and tour the light displays

·         Hours to visit Santa expanded to 2 nights to accommodate the crowds

·         Children may drop off letters at Santa's mailbox at the Santa Shack at the Museum, their letters will be answered by Santa if they include their name and address - thanks to residents at the Indiana Masonic Home

·         Area choirs will be performing on Courthouse steps prior to Lighting

·         Lighting "switch" to be pulled by Mayor Jones-Matthews and the winners of the Prince and Princess contest at Imagination Station

·         Downtown business windows to be decorated/painted by art students from Franklin High School

·         Funds have been raised from the community to replace 50 downtown pole decorations - weathered tinsel decorations will be replaced by new 5 foot twinkle snowflakes - will match those that currently adorn Branigin Blvd. each year

·         Baseball Boosters plan to put up decorations the weekend of November 10/11 - might be photo op "City Readies for Holidays"

·         Discover Downtown Franklin is organizing a Snowflake Ball to be held at Beeson Hall on January 26^th, 2008 as a fundraiser for the light pole snowflake decorations

·         Downtown Businesses will distribute shopping passes starting Friday, November 30^th.  Shopping passes will be valid until December 25^th.  All passes will be entered into a drawing and winners will receive gift certificates to spend at downtown businesses.

 Contact List

Candlelight Walk

Krista Linke - Discover Downtown Franklin

346-1251                    

Holiday Lighting Ceremony 

Betsy Schmidt - Franklin College

738-8054

Decoration Installation - Courthouse and Downtown Streets

Rick Littleton - Department of Public Works

441-8430

Santa at the Museum

Sarah Rogers - Johnson County Museum of History

736-4655

Holiday Lighting Parade

Vicki Garrett - Kellie Plumbing

738-2034

Holiday Movies at the Artcraft

Rob Shilts - Franklin Heritage

736-6823

Cookie and Gingerbread House Contest

Diana Rooks - Johnson County Public Library

738-2833

Letters to Santa at the Shack

Jamie Poynter - Indiana Masonic Home
736-6141 ext. 405

Jingle Jog

Steve Ahaus - FCHS Cross Country Team

738-5711

Indiana Masonic Home Light Display

George Eastman - Indiana Masonic Home

736-6141

Methodist Community Luminary Display

Anji Brown - Franklin Methodist Community

736-1100

Promotion, Sponsorships and Business Involvement

Tricia Bechman - Franklin Chamber of Commerce

736-6334