The new Christmas Display on the Marion County Courthouse Square will be turned on for the first time this evening.
The display has been purchased with dollars from the Salem Tourism Commission. Chair Leon Chapman says everyone is invited out.
“Friday from five to six we are going to have refreshments outside in front of Country Creek and Treasures. We’re going to have entertainment and music on the streets. At six o’clock we will flip the switch to turn on the Christmas lights on the courthouse yard.”
Chapman explains what the display includes.
“We have a lot of different things. We have a huge Igloo with Penguins. We have a huge Santa. The Santa Claus is really going to make a big statement. The sleigh and then we have an arch that will go over the sidewalk.”
The Christmas display is the latest downtown project of the Tourism Commission, which installed white lights across the tops of the downtown buildings earlier.
Chapman says no tax dollars are involved as all the money comes from a tourism tax on those staying in Salem motel rooms.
