$5,000 budget cap expected for Christmas Tyme
A free petting zoo and pony rides have been added to Christmas Tyme in Colusa.
The new additions are sponsored by Morning Star, Superior Tire and Tri Counties Bank, and will be just part of the entertainment featured at the holiday celebration.
The event will be held from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Dec. 7.
The Colusa City Council last night was expected to set a $5,000 spending ceiling on Christmas Tyme in Colusa — a budget committee Chairwoman Marilyn Acree said will not be a problem.
The amount is about $1,100 more than the estimated cost of overtime for police, fire and public works personnel needed to make the event work.
Part of the extra cost includes insurance, said Acree, who was elected to the council on Nov. 6. She does not expect the full amount to be needed.
"We are making great progress and we have gotten a number of good donations from the community," Acree said.
Acree and the event team met this week and finalized the vendor list and their assigned locations along Market Street, between Third and Eighth streets.
"And we have a nice mixture of food and crafts and just informational booths, and for the most part we have been able to accommodate requests that they want to be in front of a certain business," said Acree, adding that there will be between 25 and 30 vendors.
Acree said there have been at least four to enter the tractor decorating contest, and the Chamber of Commerce is about to launch its window decorating contest as well.
The window contest will be open to all businesses in Colusa, with a top prize of $300. Second place is $200 and third place is $100.
The event is also teaming up with the California Highway Patrol's annual toy drive and the annual Colusa County Food Basket effort.
People attending the event will be asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy and canned goods to help the Christmas spirit to be spread around to some of the most needy in the county.
The event started 16 years ago as Old Tyme Christmas. It ran for 14 years along Market Street, and then moved to the historic Colusa courthouse area as Home Town Christmas the last two years.
