| The legacy of Santa’s Village can be measured in the amount of food and toys that have been collected and donated to service agencies through its 27 years.
Those donations — totaling $983,163 — have been distributed to area residents who need them.
Santa’s Village will mark its 28th anniversary Dec. 6-9, continuing that tradition and also continuing to provide four days of family holiday entertainment. A total of 254,621 people have attended Santa’s Village to date.
The fantasyland provides the sights, sounds and fun of Christmas. It is staged each year at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
This year’s event is set for Dec. 6-7 from 6-9 p.m.; Dec. 8 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Dec. 9 from 1-5 p.m.
The event will return to the “Enchanted Forest” theme in scenes depicting the holidays. Also featured will be a giant Christmas tree, wagon rides on Friday through Sunday, MTD model train display, children’s rides and vendor booths. Twenty hours of continuous local entertainment and a petting farm will add to the festivities.
Admission is a suggested donation of $5 worth of nonperishable foods and/or toys.
Service agencies which will receive food and toys collected at Santa’s Village this year include Chimes for Charity in Obion County, the Obion County chapter of the American Red Cross, We Care Ministries in Martin, Santa’s Helpers and Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council.
Co-sponsors for the event are the City of Martin and UT Martin. Additional sponsors of the event, to date, include University Plaza, First State Bank, MTD Products, Tyson Foods, Greenball, Savant Learning Systems and Frontier Communications. As part of the event each year, WCMT radio sponsors a can caravan for canned food donations collected at the schools.
“We would like to thank the sponsors and volunteers who contribute time and money,” said Kim Kirby, Martin Parks and Recreation Department program director. “Santa’s Village is not only a wonderful, family-oriented holiday event, it helps the less fortunate in the surrounding area.”
For more information about Santa’s Village, contact Martin Parks and Recreation Department at (731) 587-6784. Published in The Messenger 11.16.12 |
