By Herald Staff

HUNTINGBURG — Holiday cheer will come to Huntingburg this weekend.

The Huntingburg Christmas Stroll will kick off on Sunday with the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Cookies will still be given out, though they will be individually wrapped.

Shops along Fourth Street will be open for extended hours for the week and following weekend. The stores are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday, Nov. 9, through Thursday, Nov. 12, and on Saturday, Nov. 14. They will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15.

There will be other changes to the Stroll besides time. For health reasons, Santa, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph won’t be there. The tours of decorated homes will not happen.

The annual Sips and Bites, in which shops host a featured winery in their store, will still be held, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13.

At the end of the week, the newly designed sections of Fourth Street, between Jackson Street and U.S. 231 and between Geiger Street at U.S. 231, will be closed to traffic from Friday to Sunday. This will allow merchants, restaurants and organizers to utilize the street for vendors, activities and extra seating, organizers said. Public restrooms will be open at Market Street Park, and an information booth will be located in front of Offset Promotions.

Organizers want to have a safe festival. So the public must wear masks at the event.