Albion will do expanded Small Business Saturday celebration

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 November 2022 at 9:12 am

Stage will be set up on Main Street near bridge for performers

Photo by Tom Rivers: There will be a stage set up Saturday in this part of Main Street, near the closed off lift bridge, for performers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ALBION – Merchants are planning an expanded Small Business Saturday celebration in Albion to encourage people to stop by the local shops.

There will be activities in the downtown and also at the Arnold Gregory Complex on South Main Street. The businesses at Arnold Gregory will have a craft sale, basket raffle and will welcome many vendors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The downtown businesses will be offering specials and welcome people to check out the locally owned shops.

“We have a lot of amazing businesses that other places don’t have,” said Laura Kemler, owner of Laura Loxley which makes hand-dyed baskets, purses and vintage items. “People will be surprised by what we have to offer.”

The Main Street lift bridge closed to traffic on Nov. 14 and expected to be shut down for 18 months for a major restoration. Merchants are hoping one silver lining of the project may be it will slow down traffic so people can check out the businesses in the downtown area and also see what is offered at Arnold Gregory. (The businesses also are planning a Hometown Holiday event on Dec. 10.)

For this Saturday there will be a stage set up Main Street between Bank Street and Beaver Alley. Amy Sidari, owner of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy, has performers lined up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The schedule includes:

10 a.m. – Albion High School Clarinet Choir
10:30 a.m. – AHS Brass Ensemble
11 a.m. – Danielle Schmidt vocal soloist
11:15 a.m. – Historic trivia/Pack 164 Boy Scouts skit
11:30 a.m. – Celebrate Jonathan Doherty’s memory with karaoke
Noon – Holiday Tap Dance – Sleigh Ride
12:15 p.m. – Historic Trivia
12:30 p.m. – Ugly Sweater Parade (meet on the stage – everyone welcome)
1 p.m. – Music by the 3D Trio (John Borello, Alona Kuhns and Lonnie Froman)
1:30 p.m. – Line dancing with Miss Gloria
2 p.m. – Excerpt of the Nutcracker (Snowflakes)
2:15 p.m. – Excerpt of the Nutcracker (Flowers)
2:30 p.m. – Julia Fuller & Isabelle Truelson Dance Duet
2:25 p.m. – Jenna Uderitz dance solo to Holly Jolly Christmas
2:30 p.m. – Holiday music
3 p.m. – Mia Standish dance solo
3:15 – Line dancing with Miss Gloria

Sidari, owner of the dance studio for 25 years, hopes people will enjoy the performers and also explore the downtown businesses.

“This is an opportunity to get acquainted and get to know us,” she said about the businesses. “We want people to enjoy our downtown. People come here and say it’s a beautiful little village – It’s charming.”

Tara Thom, owner of the Town and Country Quilt Shop on Bank Street, said the businesses offer goods and services throughout the year. She would like to see people from outside Albion also shop in the community.

“I’m hoping people will get excited about shopping in their hometown or their neighboring hometown,” Thom said.