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CITY OF TALLAHASSEE NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 18, 2007
CONTACT: Bill Behenna, Department of Communications, 891-8533;
or Jan Bubsey, Parks and Recreation, 891-3860

Winter Festival Returns on Dec. 1!
21st Annual Event Lightens and Brightens Downtown

Contrary to reports of the demise of Tallahassee’s hugely popular Winter Festival, the event is most assuredly alive and well! The 21st annual celebration of the winter holiday season will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1, between 3 and 10 p.m. As always, the area’s largest nighttime event will transform downtown Tallahassee into a holiday wonderland, with the standard elements of the lighting ceremony, Jingle Bell Run, Holiday Parade and lots more.

This year’s theme is "Holiday Fun in the Florida Sun," and the event also includes five stages of local live entertainment, along with a new children’s activity area. The Winter Festival and its centerpiece event, the Celebration of Lights, are sponsored by the City of Tallahassee.

While the event will continue for tens of thousands of spectators who pack downtown streets, state-mandated budget cuts have forced the cancellation of WCOT’s broadcast of the Winter Festival parade. The City’s government access channel will record highlights of the special evening, but the delayed broadcast of the entire parade will no longer be aired. This broadcast was one of many City services either eliminated or reduced following the state legislature’s property tax reform measures enacted earlier this year.

As a reminder, applications for various components of the 2007 Winter Festival are still being accepted in the following areas:

Food Vendors – applications accepted until Food Court is full

Arts and Crafts Booth – application deadline of Nov. 1

Exhibitor Booth – application deadline of Nov. 1

Youth Ornament Tree Decorating Contest – application deadline of Nov. 1

Winter Festival Volunteer – application deadline of Nov. 9

Jingle Bell Run – entry forms available soon

For more information on the 2007 Winter Festival and Celebration of Lights, please visit the City’s Talgov.com website, or call Parks and Recreation at 891-3866.

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