The block after block of giant 6-foot-tall candy canes that recently made their sweet debut on light poles in downtown Marietta will be officially lighted for the Christmas holidays during the Raising Cane Grand Illumination ceremony Saturday.
ReStore Marietta has hung a total of 75 LED (light-emitting diode) candy canes throughout downtown, said Mallory Greenham, executive director of ReStore Marietta, which is coordinating the candy cane project.
"It's always nice to have that extra touch downtown," Greenham noted. "It's a draw for shoppers to come downtown during the holiday season and do their shopping locally."
The Raising Cane Grand Illumination ceremony will be held from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. Saturday. Ceremony attendees are asked to gather in the 100 block of Putnam Street.
The candy cane decorations will be lighted at 6 p.m., Greenham said.
A very special guest -Frosty the Snowman-will be at the event courtesy of Peoples Bank.
Fact Box
If you go
What: Raising Cane Grand Illumination ceremony.
When: 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Gather at the 100 block of Putnam Street, Marietta.
How to help
To sponsor a candy cane decoration, call the ReStore Marietta office at 885-8194.
"It's very important to Peoples Bank that we are consistently committed to our communities," said Barb Close, banking relationship manager. "(The illumination ceremony) is an event for families, and to support downtown merchants."
The bank will also be providing hot cocoa and a variety of cookies for refreshments.
Sponsored at a cost of $275 each, 59 of the candy canes have found sponsors to date, Greenham said. The project's total cost of sponsorship is $20,625.
"We're still looking for 16 more sponsors," she added.
Sponsors include Peoples Bank, J.D. Byrider, Tony Weber, Rob Schafer/Schafer Leather Store, Rose Criss/The Schwendeman Agency, Eramet, Advantage Bank and Settlers Bank.
Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring a lighted candy cane can call the ReStore Marietta office at 885-8194, or log on to restoremarietta.org, select "Raising Cane" in the 'Events/Meetings' link and then click on the "Donate to ReStore Marietta' link on the left.
All donations are tax deductible.
For many years, ReStore Marietta has purchased and maintained different downtown decorations, including trees, Peace on Earth wreaths and red flags with snowflakes.
ReStore Marietta is a 501 c3 organization made up of representatives from local businesses that aims to stimulate the local economy and enhance the visual appearance and improve the quality of life in Marietta.
