SEBASTIAN — Holiday cheer was in full swing Friday night throughout Sebastian as residents and visitors alike swarmed local businesses for the town’s twenty-fifth annual ‘Light Up Night’, sponsored by the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce.
Forty-four local businesses decked their halls with lights, wreaths and a variety of eclectic holiday decorations for the festive event. Everything from a giant pink polar bear with reindeer antlers to Santa and Mrs. Claus made appearances.
“We even have snow!” said Joan Marie Vanover as she turned on the artificial snow maker in front of her Village Square shop, Design Transformations, an interior design retail store.
It was a chance for residents to explore local businesses and for business owners to show appreciation to their patrons.
“The Sandwich Shack and Grill, I’ve lived here for eight years and I didn’t know they were here. Now they’re going to make our lasagna for Christmas Eve,” said Janet Jasperson of Sebastian.
Pearl Brewer, one of Jasperson’s shopping companions, said she has been a seasonal resident of Sebastian for several years.
“We didn’t realize there was so much here,” Brewer said.
Bringing attention to the local businesses and shedding light on everything the town has to offer is exactly what business owners have come to expect of the event. In addition to raising awareness, business owners hope the event will spark an interest in patrons to return throughout the holiday season and beyond.
“Stay calm and avoid the mall,” said Cookie Lee. Lee is owner of Cookie Lee jewelry and was displaying her merchandise from Vanover’s Design Transformation store front.
Vanover reiterated Lee’s “shop local” message, urging the Sebastian community to remember the local economy grows when people shop in town.
“You don’t get more jobs in Sebastian by shopping online,” Vanover said. “We also give back. When the high schools have events, they come to us to be boosters. It all comes back to spending money where you live.”
Vanover was shopping local herself by soliciting the help of neighboring restaurant and caterers, the Beach House, to supply the smorgasbord of cupcakes she handed out to browsing customers.
Tyler Morton, part of the mother-daughter team who operates the Beach House said they expected quite the crowd for the event, but focused on supplying surrounding businesses with baked goods rather than running too many of their own specials.
Dr. Jennifer Loar, local optometrist, welcomed guests into her shop and offered free cookies and cupcakes from around a towering Christmas Tree. Visitors signed up for the free-eye exam raffle and chatted with the doctor who has been in her current office for over eight years.
“This is an excellent community event,” Loar said. She added much of her business comes from referrals and word of mouth. Bringing the community into her office for a night of goodies and give-aways is something Loar said she has come to look forward to.
Cherie Schuch, a Sebastian resident, said she believes in supporting her local businesses and does on a regular basis.
“I don’t go anywhere unless I can ride my bike there,” Schuch said. She added Friday’s event was not about what shopping she could do, but about “who had the best food.
From shop to shop, all the way down to the hospital, the spirit remained the same. Patrons were out on the town, soaking up all the goods and services the community has to offer. And many were making new discoveries they intend to return to soon.
