Porterdale is hosting a series of community holiday events this year, starting the day after Thanksgiving and going deep into December.
Some of the events are sponsored by local nonprofit Community Assistance Relief Effort and Friends of Porterdale, while others are city-coordinated events.
CARE organized a coat giveaway to be held Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Hall. CARE founder Linda Finger said the organization collected coats from local churches and will give them away to needy city residents, both adults and children.
The city is holding a Christmas in the Village celebration on Dec. 2, including a Christmas parade and the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree and star downtown starting at 7 p.m. Churches, civic groups or individuals who want to participate in the parade can sign up at City Hall. The parade will go from the Village Inn to the train depot.
On Dec. 8, Friends of Porterdale will lead tours of historic houses and buildings around the city, including the John Porter House, the Osprey Mill Superintendent’s House, the historic Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist churches and several Porterdale Mill Loft apartments.
Tickets for the tours are on sale at City Hall and Burnie’s BBQ in Porterdale, and Spires, Square Perk, Brendale’s and Mayfield’s in Covington. The proceeds will go toward restoration of the Porter Memorial Gymnasium.
Planners are estimating a turnout of at least 50 tuba players on Dec. 11 for the third local TubaChristmas. Local residents with tubas will play Christmas carols – “sacred and secular, inspirational and fun,” said Councilor Lowell Chambers, who is coordinating the event – in a free public performance at the train depot at 3 p.m. Players will meet at City Hall at 1 p.m. for registration and rehearsal.
TubaChristmas is open to tuba players ranging in skill from beginners to professionals.
On Dec. 17, CARE will host a free Christmas dinner at Grace Baptist Church. Christmas tales will begin at 4 p.m., followed by dinner. “It’ll be a good community gathering,” Finger said.
