It is a good thing that we celebrate Christmas with a festival and parade in Columbia, but I think we could do a bigger better job. I came from a small town in Michigan, about the size of Knifley. We started a Christmas festival about 24 years ago. It started small with about 12 floats and two bands and a day parade. The next year we decided to turn it into a lighted evening parade and we invited participation from the surrounding towns and schools. Later it turned into a two day event, we had to move the crafters into the school as they outgrew the smaller town hall, had breakfast with Santa at the Catholic church hall, lunch with the elves at the fire hall, we added an antique auction, and a chili supper at the Lutheran church before the parade, etc etc etc.

Long story short, it has grown to over 100 lighted floats,and 6-8 bands, a Disney show from Disney World, and there were last year 48,000 people in that little town. Everyone benefits, the churches, the vendors, the stores and the two restaurants, one bar (no dry counties in Michigan), gas stations, etc. Etc. We could grow too, it takes people wanting to have it, a lot of people working towards it, and it takes time to grow, but it could be done. Our civic club started it and they continue to make it work to keep it going and growing. Do you think that could happen here? - Lois Cunningham