LISA DENTON: Happy Halloween and Merry Christmas, Barry. We may still be sugar-buzzing on last night’s Halloween candy, but it’s time to think about Christmas. Kind of makes me wish I’d gotten sugar plums in my trick-or-treat bag, so I’d be better prepared.
But come Thursday, when Santa makes his first official appearance in Chattanooga, the days are gonna fly by until I get my presents, um, I mean, until I get to give presents. Hamilton Place kicks off the season with its Santa parade Thursday (6 p.m. in the Sears parking lot). After that, the big guy with the beard will be everywhere.
BARRY COURTER: Santa at the mall, reindeer decorations on shelves, and my credit card is looking into a witness protection program.
There are still some non-Yule-related events worth getting off the couch for. Head of the Hooch is this weekend (8:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, 8:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday), and we’ve gone down to the river to watch this in the past. Whether you watch from the Walnut Street Bridge or Ross’s Landing, it’s a fun way to spend a few hours outside.
LISA: The Hooch is definitely another Chattanooga success story. The two-day rowing regatta started in 1980 on the Chattahoochee River but soon outgrew its original location in Roswell, Ga., then even the Olympic rowing venue near Gainesville. In the meantime, Chattanooga had finished its $120 million renovation of the 21st Century Waterfront. The Atlanta Rowing Club approached our Lookout Rowing Club, and Chattanooga has proudly claimed it since 2005.
BARRY: There are a number of events that make our city special, but this one is a little different because we “stole” it, so to speak. It showcases so much of why people from all over the country are moving here to take advantage of our outdoors.
LISA: It’s a very cool event to watch, and it’s given Chattanooga some good buzz as “laid-back” and “hospitable” in Rowing News Magazine. For me, though, the best part of the Hooch is that it’s just fun to say “hooch.”