The City was abuzz with the holiday spirit Nov. 30 for the Holiday Kickoff in Downtown Maryville. It was a day full day of festivities, including the holiday market, photos with Santa and the annual Christmas tree lighting. But this was more than just a fun community event; it was another successful example of our community coming together to create something special in Maryville. It was a true labor of love for the volunteers, city staff and community organizations who came together to celebrate the magic of the season.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who made this event possible, reminding us that the spirit of the season shines brightest when we come together as a community:
Making the magic happen
Truly, this event could not have been possible without the coordinating efforts of Maryville Multimedia Communications Specialist Mary Bristol. Her creativity and attention to detail were evident in every corner of this event! David Graves, the city Risk Manager, plays a huge roll in preparing for Christmas starting in July and wrapping things up in late January. He and Mary work together planning, decorating, making sure all goes well when the curtain goes up, and then putting everything away in the warehouse afterwards.
Decorating the lobby of the Municipal Building
This year the Finance department took on the roll of decorating the lobby of the Municipal Building. Cristy West, Jane Ellis, Kim Parker, Kim Walker, Chandra Pickering, and David Graves made the lobby look like a winter wonderland.
Candy Cane Lane Signs
Ron Nugent and Kevin Whitehead created several Candy Cane Lane signs in the Sign Shop at the city. The signs were placed at all the free activities for kids so parents could easily identify a place for their kids to enjoy while they also time to shop all the vendors.
Kids Craft Table
Sarah McCroskey did an amazing job overseeing the kids' craft station, helping kids create fun and free holiday mementos. Jana Brown from EPW and her sons, along with many students, helped out at the table, spreading cheer and crafting joy throughout the day.
Volunteers
A huge thank you to Sarah for coordinating a wonderful group of volunteers from Maryville High School and Pellissippi State. Many thanks to Pellissippi Dean Anna Graham and Rachel Minzyk from MHS for their help gathering volunteers. Their hard work and enthusiasm were essential to making this event run smoothly.
Trackless Train
The trackless train was a big hit with kids of all ages! Special thanks to Star’s Lil’ Choo Choo Express Trackless Train for providing the ride and to Glenda Brinley and Kim Walker from the Finance Department for volunteering their time to help run the train.
Free Hot Chocolate
Thanks to Audrey Haynes from the Salvation Army for coordinating the delicious, warm cups of hot chocolate. Nothing warms the heart like a hot drink on a cold day, and the Salvation Army volunteers did an excellent job serving the crowds
Petting Zoo
A big shout-out to CW Farms from Clinton, Tennessee, for bringing the petting zoo to Maryville. Maryville Training Coordinator Denise Kirkwood volunteered to help care for the animals and make this a fun and educational experience for our youngest visitors.
Face Painting
Duranimo Facepainters provided festive face designs throughout the day, with the help of student volunteers who kept all the little faces in orderly lines while they waited patiently for their turn in the painter’s chair.
Free Cookies
The Parks and Recreation team, headed up by Missey Wright, made sure that everyone could enjoy a sweet treat. Free cookies are always a favorite!
Photos with Santa
A big thank you to Kevin Bailey from IT for capturing memories for local families through free photos with Santa. Special thanks to Jane Groff, Leslie Crawford, and Jessica Briggs, who volunteered to help kids get the perfect holiday photo with the Big Man himself.
Touch-A-Truck
The Touch-A-Truck exhibit, which allowed kids to explore the equipment used by our city’s emergency services and public services, was another highlight. Special thanks to all the volunteers from the Maryville Fire Department—Sarah Harris, Bryson Dykes, Josh Richards, Greg Endsley, Joseph McCall—and the Electric Department's Eric Bailey. Brad Hurst, and Holden Fuller of Engineering and Public Works for their time and effort in making this a fun and interactive experience.
Security Team
A huge thank you to Officer Steven Dotson, Lt. Rod Fernandez, Officer Campbell Ferguson, Officer Brent Loveday, Officer Kamron Moats, Sgt. Travis Brown, Sgt. Travis Hill, Officer Chris Meyers, and David Graves for ensuring the event was safe and secure for all attendees. David’s guidance and coordination played a key role in ensuring everything ran smoothly this year and we can’t thank him enough!
Decorating the Downtown Area
The decorations that lined Broadway were made possible by several dedicated teams, especially EPW and Grounds Maintenance, including Matthew Stewart, Evan Melhorn, John Thompson, Owen McCall, Noah Beasley, Justin Payne, and Ethan Benson.
The Newman Family, of Newman Renovations, added a lot of extra sparkle and shine with the addition of light-up structures, decorations and the Christmas tree on the plaza.
Special thanks to the Traffic Operations team—Jason Chai, Derek Hilbert, Jared Belcher, Kyle Newman, and Jayson Alexander—for assisting with the star placement on the Blount Memorial Building and the Municipal Building tree setup.
We also want to thank the City Electric crews for the installation of our beautiful wreaths and garlands, and getting the Sam Houston statue dressed up for the season.
Live Nativity
A heartfelt thank you also goes out to Broadway United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church of Maryville, and Saint Paul AME Zion Church for presenting the live nativity, as a beautiful reminder of the season’s true meaning.
Sound and Music
DJ Porter from the Maryville Police Department kept the energy high with festive tunes all day long, with the sound support help of Dillon Davis at Murlin's Music World.
Tree Lighting
Mayor Andy White did an excellent job emceeing the tree lighting ceremony, leading the crowd in the final countdown and making the evening feel extra special.
Downtown Holiday Market
And, of course, we couldn’t forget the tireless work of Amanda Gillooly and the Downtown Maryville Alliance in organizing and promoting the Downtown Holiday Market. This event brought together more than 140 unique vendors, creating a vibrant, bustling atmosphere that highlighted the creativity and talent of our local community.
Together, we shine…
This event is more than just a new holiday tradition—it’s a testament to what can be accomplished when our community comes together to celebrate and support one another. Behind every smiling face, every twinkling light, and every festive activity were the hands and hearts of so many people working to make the day special. Thank you to everyone involved for making this year’s event a great success. We can’t wait to see what next year will bring!
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who made this event possible, reminding us that the spirit of the season shines brightest when we come together as a community:
Making the magic happen
Truly, this event could not have been possible without the coordinating efforts of Maryville Multimedia Communications Specialist Mary Bristol. Her creativity and attention to detail were evident in every corner of this event! David Graves, the city Risk Manager, plays a huge roll in preparing for Christmas starting in July and wrapping things up in late January. He and Mary work together planning, decorating, making sure all goes well when the curtain goes up, and then putting everything away in the warehouse afterwards.
Decorating the lobby of the Municipal Building
This year the Finance department took on the roll of decorating the lobby of the Municipal Building. Cristy West, Jane Ellis, Kim Parker, Kim Walker, Chandra Pickering, and David Graves made the lobby look like a winter wonderland.
Candy Cane Lane Signs
Ron Nugent and Kevin Whitehead created several Candy Cane Lane signs in the Sign Shop at the city. The signs were placed at all the free activities for kids so parents could easily identify a place for their kids to enjoy while they also time to shop all the vendors.
Kids Craft Table
Sarah McCroskey did an amazing job overseeing the kids' craft station, helping kids create fun and free holiday mementos. Jana Brown from EPW and her sons, along with many students, helped out at the table, spreading cheer and crafting joy throughout the day.
Volunteers
A huge thank you to Sarah for coordinating a wonderful group of volunteers from Maryville High School and Pellissippi State. Many thanks to Pellissippi Dean Anna Graham and Rachel Minzyk from MHS for their help gathering volunteers. Their hard work and enthusiasm were essential to making this event run smoothly.
Trackless Train
The trackless train was a big hit with kids of all ages! Special thanks to Star’s Lil’ Choo Choo Express Trackless Train for providing the ride and to Glenda Brinley and Kim Walker from the Finance Department for volunteering their time to help run the train.
Free Hot Chocolate
Thanks to Audrey Haynes from the Salvation Army for coordinating the delicious, warm cups of hot chocolate. Nothing warms the heart like a hot drink on a cold day, and the Salvation Army volunteers did an excellent job serving the crowds
Petting Zoo
A big shout-out to CW Farms from Clinton, Tennessee, for bringing the petting zoo to Maryville. Maryville Training Coordinator Denise Kirkwood volunteered to help care for the animals and make this a fun and educational experience for our youngest visitors.
Face Painting
Duranimo Facepainters provided festive face designs throughout the day, with the help of student volunteers who kept all the little faces in orderly lines while they waited patiently for their turn in the painter’s chair.
Free Cookies
The Parks and Recreation team, headed up by Missey Wright, made sure that everyone could enjoy a sweet treat. Free cookies are always a favorite!
Photos with Santa
A big thank you to Kevin Bailey from IT for capturing memories for local families through free photos with Santa. Special thanks to Jane Groff, Leslie Crawford, and Jessica Briggs, who volunteered to help kids get the perfect holiday photo with the Big Man himself.
Touch-A-Truck
The Touch-A-Truck exhibit, which allowed kids to explore the equipment used by our city’s emergency services and public services, was another highlight. Special thanks to all the volunteers from the Maryville Fire Department—Sarah Harris, Bryson Dykes, Josh Richards, Greg Endsley, Joseph McCall—and the Electric Department's Eric Bailey. Brad Hurst, and Holden Fuller of Engineering and Public Works for their time and effort in making this a fun and interactive experience.
Security Team
A huge thank you to Officer Steven Dotson, Lt. Rod Fernandez, Officer Campbell Ferguson, Officer Brent Loveday, Officer Kamron Moats, Sgt. Travis Brown, Sgt. Travis Hill, Officer Chris Meyers, and David Graves for ensuring the event was safe and secure for all attendees. David’s guidance and coordination played a key role in ensuring everything ran smoothly this year and we can’t thank him enough!
Decorating the Downtown Area
The decorations that lined Broadway were made possible by several dedicated teams, especially EPW and Grounds Maintenance, including Matthew Stewart, Evan Melhorn, John Thompson, Owen McCall, Noah Beasley, Justin Payne, and Ethan Benson.
The Newman Family, of Newman Renovations, added a lot of extra sparkle and shine with the addition of light-up structures, decorations and the Christmas tree on the plaza.
Special thanks to the Traffic Operations team—Jason Chai, Derek Hilbert, Jared Belcher, Kyle Newman, and Jayson Alexander—for assisting with the star placement on the Blount Memorial Building and the Municipal Building tree setup.
We also want to thank the City Electric crews for the installation of our beautiful wreaths and garlands, and getting the Sam Houston statue dressed up for the season.
Live Nativity
A heartfelt thank you also goes out to Broadway United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church of Maryville, and Saint Paul AME Zion Church for presenting the live nativity, as a beautiful reminder of the season’s true meaning.
Sound and Music
DJ Porter from the Maryville Police Department kept the energy high with festive tunes all day long, with the sound support help of Dillon Davis at Murlin's Music World.
Tree Lighting
Mayor Andy White did an excellent job emceeing the tree lighting ceremony, leading the crowd in the final countdown and making the evening feel extra special.
Downtown Holiday Market
And, of course, we couldn’t forget the tireless work of Amanda Gillooly and the Downtown Maryville Alliance in organizing and promoting the Downtown Holiday Market. This event brought together more than 140 unique vendors, creating a vibrant, bustling atmosphere that highlighted the creativity and talent of our local community.
Together, we shine…
This event is more than just a new holiday tradition—it’s a testament to what can be accomplished when our community comes together to celebrate and support one another. Behind every smiling face, every twinkling light, and every festive activity were the hands and hearts of so many people working to make the day special. Thank you to everyone involved for making this year’s event a great success. We can’t wait to see what next year will bring!
RSS Feed
