By RENATA ROBINSON
Executive Director, Manchester Main Street

NORTH MANCHESTER — Manchester Main Street is thankful for the tremendous support of local businesses and residents in helping “Light Up The Town” this holiday season. The Main Street business corridor is dazzling with festive white lights outlining the merchants’ windows. You may also notice the new holiday artwork in the downtown storefronts? MMS’ Historic Preservation and Design and Promotion and Art committees have collaborated with Manchester Community Schools for this annual installation.

Each year MCS elementary, intermediate and junior high students create colorful banner designs for the Honeywell Center’s Winter Banner Contest. Wabash and Miami County districts are invited to participate, and ten banners from each school are submitted and displayed at the Clark Gallery. This year 40 winners were honored and will be reproduced as full-sized street pole banners. MCS’ 2015 selections will be installed on the historic light posts in downtown North Manchester by early December.

MMS coordinated with MCS art teachers and downtown building owners to fill the windows of eleven storefronts with the student banner artwork. We invite you to take a stroll downtown. 147 creative holiday scenes complement the decorative lighting on Main Street. And, while taking in the sights, be sure to stop by North Manchester’s many unique retailers and specialty stores for all your holiday shopping needs.

Select notecards featuring images from MMS’ Discover North Manchester exhibit are available at Cottage Creations, KenapocoMocha Coffee Shop, Nordmann’s Nook, One World Handcrafts, Peabody Retirement Community, Timbercrest Senior Living Community and MMS’ office, 109 N. Market Street, North Manchester, and at Visit Wabash County, 221 S. Miami St., Wabash. To purchase additional merchandise, visit www.manchestermainstreet.org. For more information, contact MMS Executive Director Renata Robinson at (260) 901-6045 or [email protected].