"All is not lost," Kristi Cistaro said Wednesday night.
"The Grinch is not in Sault Ste. Marie," Cistaro, chair of Sault Ste. Marie's Downtown Association, proclaimed.
A meeting is planned for Thursday morning at which local officials will iron out final details of a new, pandemic-friendly incarnation of the Sault's Moonlight Magic event that's traditionally been the start of the holiday season locally.
An announcement is expected to take place later in the day, said Ashlyn McMillan, the Downtown Association's acting manager.
Although details are being guarded as closely as presents on Christmas Eve, a few tidbits were leaked at the association's monthly board meeting on Wedneday night.
"Obviously we cannot have Moonlight Magic the way we used to," McMillan said.
"That event brings upwards of 5,000 people downtown. We can't have that kind of gathering. We are looking at some different ways we can still heavily focus on downtown."
"Our members have all expressed how heavily they rely on that evening."
"I can't get into full details of what we're doing, but it's awesome," McMillan said.
The name of the this year's downtown holiday event hadn't quite been finalized Wednesday, but McMillan said it will likely play on the venerable 12 Days of Christmas theme.
"The whole premise behind it is taking what would traditionally have been the huge crush of Moonlight Magic – a sort of crescendo event – and spreading it out over a five-week period," Cistaro said.
One big change is expected to be uniform, extended shopping hours on Queen Street starting around the 18th or 19th of November.All downtown businesses will be asked stay open later on Thursday and Fridays, Cistaro said.
And she's hoping to persuade as many establishments as possible to also open Sundays.
Cistaro has done this on her own and she always found it worthwhile.
"I can say from my personal experience that it has always paid for itself. The worst I have done is broken even, which I consider to be a success."McMillan said part of what will be announced Thursday has to do with downtown lighting.
"There was a donation of some really nice light fixtures that I think will help with not only decorating for the season, but will also help us with security concerns, really helping us brighten up downtown," she said, adding: "More info about that tomorrow."
