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FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- City of Fairfield crews are readying the downtown square, the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce and its Holiday Committee are readying the spirit and on Friday, Nov. 27 a special honoree will throw the switch on the holidays.  The Chamber has announced the schedule for its annual Holiday Lighting Celebration, which begins at 5:30 p.m. on the 27th with a performance by the Fairfield High School choir.  The choir, under the direction of Zach Reiter, will sing holiday classics to kick off the event.

Following the choir performance, winners of the Children’s Gingerbread Contest will be announced and awarded prizes from donor businesses.  The winners and other artwork from students at Maharishi School and throughout the Fairfield Community School District will be on display through the holiday season following the event.

After the Gingerbread Children Contest announcement, Chamber Executive Director Brent Willett will announce the 2009 Lighting Dedication Honoree.  The dedication, annually a well-kept secret, recognizes an individual or organization which exemplifies the ‘holiday spirit’.  At precisely 6 p.m. and following the announcement, the honoree will turn on the holiday lights on the square for the first time.

Finally, Santa Claus will arrive in a horse drawn wagon driven by Eddie Spees from the Spees Pony Farm with a Fairfield police escort on the square and take up his season-long residence at the Kandy Kane House. Santa’s scheduled stop on the night of the Dedication is from 6 to 8 p.m.

After dropping off Santa, Spees, under the sponsorship of the Fairfield Lions Club, will offer horse-drawn wagon rides around the Fairfield Square from 6 to 8 p.m.  
“We’re honored every year to partner with the hundreds of annual Tree of Lights donors, the City of Fairfield and others to transform the day after Thanksgiving into a true commencement of the holiday season in Fairfield,” Willett said.  “Young or old, in lawn chairs, in cars or peering out stop windows, hundreds of eyes will be on the square on the 27th to be a part of this family tradition.”

Willett said that while this year’s celebration will have all the hallmarks of past Lighting Ceremonies, the annual Tree of Lights fundraising campaign has been faced with challenges relating to the fact that the Holiday Committee was not able this year to provide fundraising forms in the City water bill, which has made marketing Campaign to the community more of a challenge than in past years.

"It was a disappointment we were unable to get the word out to support the municipal lights display in the water bill this year,” Willett said, “but we’ve seen tremendous support emerge from new partners throughout the community.”  He said donation forms can be found online at FairfieldIowa.com, by fax at (641) 472-6510, or by stopping by the Chamber’s offices, 204 West Broadway.

The Lions Club will also host its Sixth Annual Soup, Sandwich and Dessert fundraiser from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Senior Citizen Center the evening of the Lighting Dedication.  The menu will feature homemade chili, chicken noodle soup, ham sandwiches, pie and beverages.  A live auction will also be held at 6 p.m. All proceeds from the Lions’ fundraiser will benefit the Leader Dog for the Blind program.