The Vandalia Tourism Commission’s Olde Tyme Christmas celebration gets underway on Gallatin Street this evening. The event gets underway at 3pm this afternoon with merchants open with in-store sales and refreshments and various vendors set up along Gallatin. The official Christmas tree lighting will be held at 5pm with the Vandalia Rotary Christmas Parade to follow. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the former Jane Isbell building at 6pm and there will a chili supper and open house at the Vandalia Fire Department. Other events during the evening include the Soroptimists Cookie Walk at City Hall, storytime at the Vandalia Public Library at 6pm, live reindeer, live carolers and free trolley and horse carriage rides.
Saturday’s events will get underway at 10am with vendors along Gallatin Street and merchants again open with in-store sales. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available from 10am to noon in the former Jane Isbell building and the Farm Bureau will be holding a vendor fair from 9am to 2pm at the Vandalia Moose Lodge.