ABOVE: Some core members of the Greater Plaza Area Council (GPAC) decorated Citizens Park on Downtown Plaza in Fairmont this week. Some other decorations are expected to come out this next week ahead of the annual Glows Parade.

FAIRMONT– This weekend might not feel like winter and the holidays that come with it, but it’s certainly starting to look like it, at least in Downtown Fairmont. Businesses began putting out decorations this week in anticipation of the annual Glows Parade which will take place on Friday, Nov. 21.

The Glows Parade, put on by the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce, has long served as the kick-off to the holiday season. President Kandi Menne noted that the parade has grown into more of an event in recent years thanks to collaboration.

“We’re all getting a little more organized and we’re working together better is the way that I look at it,” said Menne.

She has been going to meetings planned by the Greater Plaza Area Council (GPAC), so that she can keep abreast of downtown happenings.

In turn, thanks to Fairmont recently becoming part of Minnesota Main Streets, there’s been collaboration with the city of Fairmont, Project 1590, local arts non-profit, Imagine Martin, and local Economic Development Authority.

The events will start at about 4:05 p.m. when Santa and Mrs. Claus will fly into the Fairmont Municipal Airport, as they typically do. Events continue from there.

“We encourage all people to go downtown to the tree lighting, which will happen at 5:30 p.m.,” Menne said.

For the third year in a row, a large tree will be stationed toward the end of Downtown Plaza, on a corner dubbed “Christmas Corner.”

Project 1590 Member Steve Hawkins said that Montana Tree Service has been instrumental in securing and setting up the tree.

“They have donated a lot of their time to make this project happen,” Hawkins said. “The tree is coming from Guggisberg Tree Farm near Hanska. They’re going up to get it, loading it up and bringing it down. They’re getting everything prepped. They’ve done a significant amount of work.”

The tree will be set up Monday and then on Friday, ahead of the Glows Parade, it will be lit for the community to see.

The parade will start at 6 p.m. and follow its regular route, beginning at Ward Park and going through Downtown Plaza all the way to Lincoln Park.

“We have about 50 unit so far. We’ll still take entries, preferably not the night of,” Menne said with a laugh.

As the name suggests, the parade will be aglow as all of the units are asked to be decked out in lights and will be judged for their efforts.

The categories include best business glow, best community glow and grand glow.

“There’s some other activities happening,” Menne added.

A lot of the downtown businesses capitalize off of the Glows Parade and add to the event by putting on some of their own late night offerings.

“Indulge is going to have some coffee and late-night boutique shopping, Immanuel Lutheran Church will have their chili and oyster stew. First Congregational UCC will have a full menu of delicious soups,” Menne said.

This year, during the parade, the Salvation Army will also have a warming station set up with hot chocolate, coffee and treats.

“Those are the things that we know of that are happening,” Menne said.

A lot of work goes into preparing for the Glows Parade, starting with the decorations. Members of GPAC met this past week to decorate Citizens Park with cutouts owned by Dee’s Floral and D&S Trophies with some items donated by Twelve Baskets.

Some GPAC members have been decorating Citizens Park themselves for years.

Speaking to why she thinks it’s important to put in the work and continue the tradition, DeAnn Eversman said, “It’s a draw for downtown. It helps bring people down here and we want people to come down here.”

This next week, the iconic Christmas lanterns will also be put up by city staff along Blue Earth Avenue and Downtown Plaza. The Chamber actually owns the lanterns, which are roughly 40 years old.

“We’re always looking for donations to support the repair of those lights,” Menne said.

It costs about $1,000 annually just to replace the bulbs and make other needed repairs.

“We do have a separate fund to raise money for new ones, and because of the revenue brought in from the Sip and Shop that we started, we’re getting close to having an organizational meeting about what type of lights we want to buy and what areas of town do we want to enhance,” Menne said.

In addition to the lanterns, the lit up animals will also be put up in the coming days. Last year the bulk of them were at Christmas Corner but this year they’ll be scattered across a few different locations.

Finally, Janzen’s Greenhouse will be responsible for decorating the large downtown pots for the winter and holiday season. They should be complete in time for the Glows Parade.

“The groups are really working together and making their events bigger and better and more successful for our community and people enjoy coming here for them. Not every town will have a winter parade. We certainly get a lot of summer parades but the winter parades are kind of special,” Menne said.

As previously said, the Glows Parade serves as a kick-off event to the holiday season and Merry and Bright will follow it. The night of downtown shopping and other fun events will happen from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5.