Three events this weekend in Jackson County will get residents in the Christmas spirit, while three others are planned later in the month.

For the 44th year, the Medora Christmas Festival will be conducted in the small southwestern Jackson County town.

It all starts at 7 p.m. Friday with the tree lighting in front of the library along West Main Street. Free popcorn and hot chocolate will be served, and the winners of the holiday lights contest will be announced.

Carr Township residents were invited to enter the contest, which will have prizes for first, second and third place.

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“We haven’t had that Christmas lighting contest for over five years. It’s something that all of the community can participate in,” said Linda Proffit, a member of the festival committee.

“We’re trying to bring back the original Medora Christmas Festival,” she said of the event that was started by the local fire department. “It kind of dwindled. … We’re trying to bring it back to what it was to begin with.”

Breakfast will be served starting at 7 a.m. at the Medora Senior Citizens Center, and Breakfast with Santa will go from 9 to 11 a.m. People are invited to bring their cameras to have pictures taken with Santa.

Lunch will be at the center from 11 a.m. until the food runs out. The menu consists of beans and cornbread, chili, vegetable soup and desserts. Drinks will be offered.

For both meals, the cost is a freewill offering to help cover the center’s expenses.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, food, craft and flea market vendors will open. Proffit said there are 35 vendors this year.

Refreshments and gift card drawings will be at Hague Funeral Home from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Entertainment on the stage includes the Medora Pentecostal Church praise band at 10 a.m. and Medora school students under the direction of Charlotte Brewer at 11:15 a.m. The prince and princess will be crowned on the stage at 12:30 p.m.

The parade will start at 1 p.m. with Robert Reynolds and Brewer serving as grand marshals.

After the parade, Selfies with Santa and Cookies with Mrs. Claus will be at the Medora Library, and the band Driven will perform on the stage.

The festival will conclude with the Christmas Ball from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Carr Township Conservation Club. It will feature disc jockey Josh Clark, an ugly Christmas sweater contest, door prizes, a silent auction and a 50/50 drawing. The cost is $10 per person.

The festival committee took over the Christmas Ball for the first time this year, and all proceeds will go toward next year’s festival.

“It’s really, really nice, and it’s really good for this community and for all surrounding communities to have fun, and the kids come and get to see Santa,” Proffit said of the festival. “We do this mostly for the community and the kids and the surrounding communities.”

From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Humane Society of Jackson County, 1109 G Ave. West, Seymour, the annual Bring Christmas to the Animals will be conducted.

The society will accept donations and feature adoptable pets. Refreshments will be served, and guests can purchase items for their own pet’s Christmas.

Also Saturday, Cookies and Carols, a free event at Hamacher Hall, 211 E. Howard St., Crothersville, is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m.

Those attending will enjoy cookies and drinks, the Christmas story, singing Christmas carols, drawings for gift certificates and Santa Claus reading “The Night Before Christmas” and talking with the children.

At 6 p.m., the lighting of the community Christmas tree will be at the stoplight corner.

The event is sponsored by the Crothersville Historical and Cultural Arts Association and the Crothersville Lions Club.

On Dec. 13, Brownstown’s annual Hometown Christmas will go from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jackson County Courthouse, 111 S. Main St.

Sponsored by the Brownstown Chamber of Commerce, the free event will start with the WJAA Yule Bus bringing Santa Claus to town. Parents can bring cameras to take pictures of their children with Santa, who will hand out candy canes donated by Psi Iota Xi sorority.

The event also features Christmas carols by the Brownstown Central middle and high school choirs under the direction of Stephanie Brock, and Brownstown McDonald’s will provide coffee, muffins, cookies, pies and drinks.

Also that night at the same time in Brownstown, the Jackson County History Center, 105 N. Sugar St., will conduct its annual Christmas in the Village. Children’s crafts will be in the log cabin, and Christmas carols will be sung around the fire and refreshments will be served in the school/church meetinghouse.

Then Dec. 17 in Crothersville, the town will have a Christmas parade for the first time since 2013. Lineup will begin at 5:30 p.m. on East Street, and the parade will start at 6 p.m. The route will travel along East, Bard, Preston and Moore streets, ending at the fire department.

Santa will be at the fire department to meet children and take pictures until 8 p.m. Cookies and hot cocoa will be available.

The event is sponsored by the town of Crothersville, Crothersville Parks Board and Crothersville-Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department.

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Upcoming Christmas events in Jackson County

Medora Christmas Festival: Tree lighting at 7 p.m. Friday at the Medora Library, 27 W. Main St., Medora; events go from 7 a.m. to midnight Saturday around town (full schedule on Medora Christmas Festival Facebook page)

Bring Christmas to the Animals: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Humane Society of Jackson County, 1109 G Ave. West, Seymour

Cookies and Carols: 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Hamacher Hall, 211 E. Howard St.; tree lighting at 6 p.m. at the stoplight corner

Hometown Christmas: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Jackson County Courthouse, 111 S. Main St., Brownstown

Christmas in the Village: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Jackson County History Center, 105 N. Sugar St., Brownstown

Christmas parade: 6 p.m. Dec. 17 along East, Bard, Preston and Moore streets in Crothersville; Santa will be at the fire department until 8 p.m.

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