"We've got music, food, shopping – it's just a great season and a time to celebrate," said Ken Watts at a kickoff event in October for Merry Meridian 2009.

Watts, who serves as chairman of what has become East Mississippi's largest holiday celebration, was excited about the event – not only because of the year's offerings, but also because of the unity among those involved.

""There's been a tremendous amount of coordination this year between all the various groups and churches who are doing events this year," he said.

And a month later, that energy has continued as evidenced during a recent Editorial Board interview with The Meridian Star. The Star met with several representatives of the various organizations and groups that will present the 17 scheduled events. They not only provided updates on their events, but also shared how proceeds earned are used to benefit the community.

Those present and their events were: Kathy Watkins, Church of the Mediator, Gingerbread House Contest; Joyce Gibbens, Meridian Restorations Foundation, Merrehope's 41st Annual Trees of Christmas; Franklin Denham, Highland Baptist Church, 25th Anniversary Edition of Highland's Singing Christmas Tree; Kate Cherry, Meridian Museum of Art, Merry Museum Art Classes and MMA's Art Gala; Natella Boulton, Meridian Symphony Orchestra, MSO Peppermint Pops Concert; Greg Hatcher, Jimmie Rodgers Foundation, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound in concert; Amy Reede, Meridian Main Street; Michele Pearson, Meridian Downtown Association; Larry Jones, Alliance for Downtown; and Ken Watts. Merry Meridian is presented by the Meridian Downtown Association.

Following is a listing of the scheduled events with comments from the representing organization or group:



• Gingerbread House Contest – The kick off event of Merry Meridian got under way on Nov. 3 with entries being displayed at Meridian Museum of Art, where they will remain until Dec. 6.

"We have five entries, which will be judged for excellence in construction and creativity," Watkins said.

Winning works will be displayed in the front window of the MSU Riley Center the first week of December.

A "People's Choice Award" will also be announced, based on votes from viewers at the museum. Registration for the contest is ongoing through October. Entry forms are available at the Church of the Mediator, Meridian/Lauderdale County Public Library and the Meridian Museum of Art. Viewers can also join in on the fun by participating in a silent auction – featuring three of the entries – from the Web site, which is located at www.mediatormeridian.com.

Funds raised will support the Church of the Mediator's community outreach and children's programs.



• Merrehope’s 41st Annual Trees of Christmas Tour and events – The annual tour will open Thursday with a Champagne and Chocolate Gala from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at Merrhope and F.W. Williams House.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for people to come; it's going to be exciting and elegant," said Gibbens.

The gala will include the announcement of the latest developments at The Meridian Restoration Foundation, plus the unveiling of the trees and exhibits of “A Global Christmas.” Christmas music, delicious delicacies and the perfect opportunity to view the architecture of antebellum Merrehope and the Victorian F. W. Williams home all decked out in their finest holiday style.

Admission to the gala is $25.

Trees of Christmas Tours will open the following day and will continue through Jan. 2, 2010. Tours of both houses are $10 per person with special rates for children and senior citizens. Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Special arrangements may be made for private luncheons, dinners, parties and other events.

Another complementary event will be the Merry Merry Merrehope Brunch on Dec. 6. There will be two seatings, at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Admission is $30; reservations are limited and required.

"Proceeds from all our events will be used to maintain the two homes, which are two of Meridian's oldest homes," Gibbens said.

Merrehope and the F. W. Williams home are located at 905 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Drive.



• Tree Lighting Ceremony – Dumont Plaza will come alive with the sights and sounds of the holidays on Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. as the city of Meridian officially kicks of the holiday season at the Tree Lighting Ceremony. For more information, call Connie Royal at (601) 485-1944 or go to www.meridianms.org



• MCC Fall Semester Concert – On Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., Meridian Community College, under the direction of Tammy Miles and Twyla Hursts, will present an evening of choral literature from various composers, time periods and cultures for the chorus' fall semester concert. Traditional Christmas repertoire will be included. In addition to the concert choir, MCC vocal ensemble, Dimensions, will entertain the audience with pop, rock and R&B; selections.

For more information about MCC Chorus Fall Semester Concert at McCain Hall on the MCC campus, call (601) 484-8628 or go to www.mcc.cc.ms.us



• Ernie Haase & Signature Sound – Presented by The Jimmie Rodgers Foundation, this command performance will be presented Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Temple Theatre for the Performing Arts.

"We brought them here in April 2008 to a sellout performance at the MSU Riley Center. Because of the demand, we moved it to the Temple for this performance," Hatcher said.

Meridian will be the second of nine stops across the U.S. for “EHSS SOLO” – The Christmas Tour.

"They are a very popular group, the performed with The Gaither Homecoming Tour, and in October they were with the European Homecoming Tour with Bill Gaither," he said.

"Proceeds will go toward the foundation's purpose to preserve the memory of Jimmie Rodgers, a Meridian native who is the Father of Country Music and is inducted in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame."

Tickets are $15 and $20. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, call (601) 693-5353 or go to www.itickets.com.



• The 25th Anniversary Edition of Highland Baptist Church's Singing Christmas Tree – Set for Dec. 3-6, nightly at 7 p.m., plus 4 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Over the history of the tree, more than 400 different singers have sung and all who could be located were invited back to sing this year. Six have chosen to return from as far away as Texas, Arkansas and Indiana. The 90-voice choir and 25-piece orchestra will share their favorite songs from the tree's 220-song history. The No. 1 and title of this year's program is, "I Have Seen the Light."

Tickets are free, however those attending are asked to bring an unwrapped toy or canned goods.

"The toys will be donated to Wesley House Community Center, and the food to the Baptist Crisis Center," Denham said.

For more information about the Highland Baptist Church Singing Christmas Tree call (601) 482-0191 or go to www.hihglandbaptist.net



• Bela Fleck and the Flecktones – The MSU Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts will present this concert on Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Fleck has been nominated in more diverse categories than any other artist in Grammy history. Performing with the Flecktones, Fleck and the band fuse bluegrass, jazz and funk sounds to create their critically acclaimed and wildly poplar sound.

The concert will include sounds from their Grammy-winning album Jingle All The Way, including holiday classics heard like never before and funk-filled versions of songs from Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

For more information, call (601) 696-2200 or go to www.msurileycenter.com



• Meridian Little Theatre's presentation of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" – Barbara Robinson's hilarious Christmas tale of a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant who are faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won't believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdman collide with the Christmas Story head on.

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" begins at the Meridian Little Theatre on Dec. 3 through 5 at 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Dec. 6.

For more information about the play, call (601) 482-6371 or go to www.meridianlittletheatre.com



• Sucarnochee Revue's “Teen Artists Night” – Set for Dec. 4, at the Temple Theatre for the Performing Arts, this event will showcase new and young talent from throughout the East Mississippi and West Alabama area. The show will begin at 7 p.m. with the doors to open at 6 p.m.

For more information about the Sucarnochee Review, call (601) 693-5353.



• Jingle Bell 5k Run, 5k Walk and 1-mile fun run for kids – Hosted by The Meridian Athletic Association along with BankPlus, this event will take place on Dec. 5 at 8 a.m. at BankPlus on 22nd Avenue in downtown Meridian. Long sleeve T-shirts to all registrants and awards will be given out in each age group.

For applications and more information, visit www.meridianathletic.com. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.



• Trustmark Merry Meridian Market – More than 100 holiday vendors will showcase their wares at this popular day even. Highlighting this year’s hottest gifts – including specialty shops, foods and crafts – the market begins at 10 a.m. and continues to 4 p.m.

The day's festivities will continue at 5 with the Holiday Parade. A "Joy to the World" theme will be carried out with more than 150 entries, including lighted floats, marching bands and kids groups.

For more information about Merry Meridian Market, go to www.meridiandowntown/merrymeridianmarket.com or the Christmas parade to www.meridiandowntown/christmasparade.com or call (601) 693-7480. For more information about the Art Blizzard Workshop call 601-693-1501.



• Meridian Symphony's Peppermint Pops Concert – Scheduled to follow the Dec. 5 Christmas Parade in downtown Meridian, the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the MSU Riley Center. The festive concert of holiday favorites will feature performances by the MSO Chorus and Cambiata Singers Children's Choir. The orchestra will perform familiar classics and favorites, such as "Go Tell It On the Mountain" and "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

"We're going to have all the traditional and sing-alongs, but we've also added a Hanukkah piece," Boulton said. "And at the end of the concert, there will be a surprise visitor."

Children's tickets are $10; adults, $30-35, and are available at the MSU Riley Center.

"All of the funds from the concert go to MSO operational expenses, as well as our youth outreach program, Backstage Pass, and the concert for the fourth-grade students in Meridian and Lauderdale County," said Boulton.

For more information about Peppermint Pops, call (601) 693-2224 or go to www.meridiansymphonyorchestra.com



• Christmas concert featuring Laurie Gale Stephenson and Steve Amerson – Slated for Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Temple Theatre for the Performing Arts. Stephenson and Amerson will be accompanied by members of the Meridian Symphony Chorus.

Tickets will be available at the Temple Box Office or call (601) 693-5353 for further information.



• Meridian Museum of Art's Merry Museum Children's Art Class/ MMA Art Gala – The grand finale of Merry Meridian 2009 will be presented by the local museum.

On Dec. 5, a children's art class will be presented from 10:30 a.m.-noon, at the museum. A theme workshop for children ages 4-12, the class is $3 and include art supplies. Registration is on the day of class.

On Dec. 12, the Art Gala on Dec.12, from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The gala is a special event that combines the reception for the annual Museum Members Show with a program that remembers and honors the people who have helped to build and support the museum over its 39-year existence.

"We will honor our Volunteer of the Year, who will be announced that night," said Cherry. "It's our largest fund-raiser, which includes an art auction and silent auction of about 70 regional artists."

Proceeds from the gala will go toward operating funds for the museum, expeditions and educational programs.

For more information about the children's art class or gala, call (601) 693-1501 or go to meridianmuseum.org