The shops of downtown Sweetwater invite you to step back in time at the eighth annual "A Small Town Christmas" on Nov. 28.
From 6-9 p.m. there will be a variety of activities such as visits with Santa, horse drawn wagon rides, carolers, a marshmallow roast, Victorian costume contest and holiday treats served at the stores along Main Street.

Children age 13 and under can buy gifts for $1.25 at the Children's Gift Shop. Santa Claus will set up shop to visit with children and pictures will be available.
"We want to start the holiday season with a feeling of Christmas of yesteryear," said event co-organizer Janice Johnson.

Co-organizer Bobby Brown encourages people to "escape the traffic jams and crowded department stores and join us for an old-fashioned Christmas."
The antique stores and gift shops along Main Street will be open for visitors looking for special gifts for the people on their Christmas shopping list.
Registration for the costume contest will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the gazebo with the contest beginning at 6 p.m.

Costumes should be from the 1890-1910 time period and will be judged on authenticity, fabric and construction and originality. No commercially made or rented costumes, please. The winners will receive cash prizes with the first place winner also receiving gift certificates from several Sweetwater businesses.

In the event of rain, some outside activities will be cancelled.
Most of the events are free, but people are asked to bring a new unwrapped toy to benefit the Sweetwater Police Department's Christmas toy drive. There will be various drop-off points throughout town.

A Small Town Christmas is organized by the Antique Merchants Guild of Sweetwater, hosted by the downtown shops and sponsored by The Advocate & Democrat.

For more information, call Janice Johnson at 519-0690 or Bobby Brown at 337-3837.