Candlelight Charm 2022 is a wrap, and, oh my, was it a success!
Our DESTINATION : Council Grove office was open for the first hour of the event, and we were flooded with visitors. People from near and far came to our sweet little town and experienced the magic that only OUR combined business community can create.
Friday evening, I drove through downtown to get a feel for the ambiance. Almost every window was lit with Christmas lights, and shopkeepers readying their spaces for the next night’s event. It was a sight to behold. The bustling magic of the holiday season was already in full effect.
Our restaurants had lovely dining and drink specials. Our shops were filled with gorgeous displays and amazing giftables. The carriage rides offered by Wild Heart Carriages were enjoyed by many. And Trolley driver, Steve Sisson, had the Council Grove Trail Trolley delivering people from east to west and vice versa.
Y’all did it, and you did it fabulously!
Our City of Council Grove crews were on top of their game too! Not only were they out cleaning up leaves on the Wednesday before Candlelight Charm, but first thing Saturday morning, before most of us had ventured from our beds to our kitchens for our first cups of coffee, they were out again. All for Candlelight Charm and YOU.
What city crew does that? Ours does. Thank you all from the bottom of our Candlelight Charm-loving hearts.
This weekend was proof to me that our community is filled with a diverse group of people that complement each other in unimaginable ways. Those that are native to Council Grove, and those of us that are transplants, all share a love for this land and community. We are a cast of 2,310 characters, and it is our unique gifts, quirkiness, and individual contributions that make our community culture sing.
More than that, we share common aspirations, even if we have different opinions on how to achieve them. We want what is best for Council Grove. We want to create a sustainable economy so that our #FlintHillsLife will be available to our children, their children, and so on.
Council Grove, Morris County, and the hills beyond, thank you for giving this extremely tired Council Grove Area Trade & Tourism Association executive director so much to be proud of, to promote, and most importantly, a home where I can live with my family among a true community.
After Candlelight Charm, a small group of us gathered at The Territory Ballroom for a drink and a few minutes of conversation. Shawn Tiffany brought up the idea of “working to live somewhere” versus “living somewhere to work”. Spot on.
Most people have to choose one. In Council Grove, many of us are fortunate that we get to do the work that we love in the place that we love.
I might be tired, but I know how lucky I am.
Small Business Saturday is up next. We will be talking that up in the days to come, but mark those calendars for an opportunity to once again come out and support the business community that is the year-round heartbeat of Council Grove. Saturday, November 26. Invite your family and friends HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS in Council Grove. There’s no place like home.
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