LISA DENTON: Barry, it's the time of year we need a little elfin magic to get to all the events around town.
There are Christmas parades, Christmas markets, Christmas plays, Christmas concerts and photos with Santa. Not everything is Christmas-related, but there's an ample portion.
Ample portion apparently I'm still trying to digest everything that happened over Thanksgiving weekend.
BARRY COURTER: That would be a good band name . or porn name.
It's crazy how many events are just this week. There are new ones and ones with long histories. There are also a couple that are fairly new, but fairly long, if that makes sense. MainX24, which goes around the clock beginning Saturday at 8 a.m., and Chattanooga Market's Holiday Market are both Saturday and Sunday. Market hours on Sunday are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so you could theoretically shop and do other holiday things downtown for 33 straight hours.
LISA: MainX24 is a huge event for sure. It's basically 110 events within one main event that involves seemingly every business in the Southside. There'll be a parade, adult Big Wheel race, beer garden, art shows and $2 footlongs from Miss Griffin's Footlong Hot Dogs. Revelry Room will host the Jingle Ball: A White Christmas Party with Strung Like a Horse, Nick Lutsko and the Puppet People and Caney Village.
Concertgoers are asked to wear white to the Jingle Ball. Which won't be a problem unless I stop by for one of those Miss Griffin's footlongs first. Then I'll be wearing mustard and ketchup and chili.
BARRY: It's a good look for you. Or maybe just a familiar one. I kid. Whenever I buy a new shirt, the first thing I do is drip mustard on it. Gets it over with.
If you're downtown Thursday, you should head over to Warehouse Row for an open house that will include live reindeer. You don't get to see those every day.
LISA: True, but it's not the only chance to see live reindeer. The Hilltop Christmas in Harrison has made a tradition of showing off its herd of caribou and elk each holiday season. It's basically a Christmas theme park with a Santa village and roaming reindeer.
BARRY: Of course, not everything is planned for downtown and not everything is Christmas-related. Will Hoge is at Barking Legs on Tuesday. Shaun Jones is at the "new" Comedy Catch at the Choo Choo; its brand-new Back Stage bar area opened last week. It has an outdoor patio area, and you can hang out and eat and drink there without necessarily attending the comedy show.
LISA: I don't know why you wouldn't want to go laugh until you hurt, but I guess that's an option.
Don't forget that Lonestar will be here Friday for the Chattanooga & Cleveland Firefighters Association's benefit concert at Memorial Auditorium.
And two big-time gospel artists have separate concerts planned. Guy Penrod will headline Christmas in the Cove at Mountain Cove Farms in Chickamauga, Ga., on Thursday, and Jason Crabb will sing Friday at Freedom Worship Center in Soddy-Daisy.
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.