Friday will be a red letter day for wassail connoisseurs in Columbus.
Downtown businesses and restaurants will compete against each other for the 11th time from 5 to 8 p.m. over who has the best blend of the famous hot cider commonly associated with the Christmas season. Patrons will determine the “Wassail-Meister.”
Hosting Wassail Fest will be Main Street Columbus, whose executive director Barbara Bigelow said the annual event was an opportunity for people to do some Christmas shopping and dining at local businesses and eateries.
“It is a great time to come downtown, do some Christmas shopping, sample some delicious wassail, be a part of selecting the 2014 ‘Wassail-Meister,’ dine in one of our great downtown restaurants and just enjoy the season,” Bigelow said.
The event will also feature two caroling groups, Bigelow said. Those include The Southern Carolers, who will sing on the half hour on the balcony at The Southern, and the Harmony Grits, a local quartet who will commute to various downtown locations to sing for shoppers.
The event is sponsored by Mississippi University for Women, the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce and Magnolia Directory, the latter of which is offering patrons a $100 gift certificate to any downtown business of their choosing.
Retailers will hold in-store demonstrations and offer door prizes for guests, Bigelow added.
If three hours of wassail isn’t enough, MUW and Main Street have partnered to host Wassail at the W from 8 to 10 p.m. at Pohl Gymnasium. That event will feature the MUW Carolers, Mr. and Miz Claus, tours of Stark Recreation Center and crafts for children.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.