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Small Business Saturday was a huge success in Dodgeville.The main street was packed with shoppers from mid morning on - businesses were very happy. The cookie walk at the Methodist Church was crowded and pretty much sold out. The FREE movie "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" had nearly 150 in attendance. I think there were maybe 10 last year! I was busy taking photos with Santa at Cobblestone from about 10 minutes before the start time of noon right up until the 2:00 ending time. Santa got a lot of lists and requests from kids! People were in line waiting their turn for the carriage rides right up until it ended at 5:00. Then the parade had around 30 lighted entries with a nice crowd downtown watching. Brother Pat announced the parade and people could hear him who were around the courthouse steps. Britt Grimmer sang the National Anthem just before the Memorial Reading that included some veterans as the American Legion/VFW Color Guard stood at attention. Then came the lighting of the Veterans Tree and the Memorial Trees around the Veteran Memorial at the courthouse. From there some people ventured to the Dodgeville EMS Garage where they warmed up, talked with EMS personnel and had some hot chocolate and snacks. It was a good, but tiring, day!
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I didn't make it to either vendor fair on Saturday with everything going on downtown. I heard there were nice crowds at both of them!
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We did make it to Saturday morning breakfast with a stop in Blue Mounds at the Hooterville Inn. It was extremely quiet there especially for a UW Badgers game going on in Madison that day. It may've been due to a 2:30 p.m. start instead of the more usual 11:00 a.m. time. Bob, Terry and Dave joined me. We didn't have Dewey as he went out west (Red Wing, Minnesota) for Thanksgiving weekend!  There are no omelettes on the menu, so eggs, toast, hash browns and meat; corned beef hash and also French toast were the items chosen. Everything was very good!
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With everything going on after we got back to town, I didn't eat anything the rest of the day. By the time I got home, it was too late to eat anything substantial, so I went to bed!
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There's so much planned for this coming weekend around the area I just may not be able to get to it all. Most of it is on Saturday, December 3 there's the "Spectacular, Spectacular" Christmas Concert at 5:00 at the Barneveld Lutheran Church that features a lot of talent, some local. That same night it's "Candlelite Shopping" in Mineral Point. Earlier in the day, starting at 10:00 a.m. there are Santa Photos and a craft fair at Shake Rag Alley. Fireworks are at 7:00 with the Kiwanis roasting chestnuts too. Highland has a full day of activities that day too starting with a craft/vendor fair and Breakfast with Santa at 8:30 a.m. From 5:00-8:00 at Highland Park there's a host of activities including Santa & Mrs. Claus, live reindeer, a parade, horse drawn wagon rides and fireworks
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The "Little Givers Magic Market" will be at the Red Room in Dodgeville Saturday and Sunday this weekend with gifts from $1-$10 for kids (only) to buy for their loved ones. That's all downstairs. Upstairs there's a craft and vendor sale and Santa for photos.
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Saturday is "National Play Outside Day". I really think my playing days are over, but the temperature is supposed to be in the 40s, and the snow is pretty much gone, so youngsters it's your day to play outside! Above, see what "Play Outside Day" should probably look like here this time of year!