NEIGHBORHOOD
EVENTS

Victorian Candlelit Christmas

Our most popular is the Victorian Candle lit Christmas, also know as Candlelighting takes place the 2nd weekend in December

 

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CANDLE SALES
The candles, bags, and sand are considered a “candle set or kit.” The “candle sets” may be purchased for $5 per dozen.  Candle sales will be from 8:30am - noon on the first Saturday and Sunday in December at The Walthall and again on the 2nd Saturday of December. The sand is located on the West side of the condo near the picnic table. Bring a shovel and bucket to transport your sand. The Walthall School is located on the corner of Court St. and Rebecca Ave.
 

Please renew your Neighborhood Association/Walthall Foundation membership or join the association by paying Neighborhood/Walthall Dues when you pick up your candle kits.  Annual household dues ($25) allow us to take care of the Walthall grounds, pay the bills for the Walthall Condo, conduct neighborhood beautification projects, and finance neighborhood gatherings like Night Out Against Crime and Thanksgiving Potluck.  Checks made payable to HHNA or Walthall Foundation.
 

CARRIAGE RIDES

Carriage rides will be from 5 to 9 PM on Saturday and Sunday.  Ticket prices are $10 for adults & $5 children (lap riders – kids three and under ride free).  Tickets will be sold at the Walthall School on a first come, first served basis.  There are no reservations and no group discounts. 

REFRESHMENTS

Refreshments will be sold in the Walthall Neighborhood Condo from 5 to 9 PM on both nights.   Please sign up and let us know if you will bake some goodies for us to sell.  Hot chocolate, coffee and water will be sold along with the baked goods donated by neighbors.  If you have baked goods to deliver for the refreshment counter on candle lighting weekend, please deliver them before noon on Saturday of Candlelighting as the building may be locked up until time for the carriage rides to begin.
 

PLEASE sign up to help out at the Walthall during Candle Lighting – please contact:

• Andrea Saffle  601-270-1373   andrea.saffle428@gmail.com

• Fran Dufour (205) 223-6904  frandufour@hotmail.com
   

CANDLE LIGHTING 101: THE BASICS

The first step in getting ready for candle lighting is to determine how many candles you will need. Step off your sidewalks at about 3-foot intervals. Some people “double bag,” that is they place candles every 3 feet on both sides of the walk.  Others “single bag” and place them along one side of the sidewalk or along the curb, and some folks prefer to zigzag their bags along sidewalks & walkways. This is totally up to you.

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After you have determined the number of bags you want for your design then you are ready for the next step - Purchasing your “candle sets." They are available for purchase at the Walthall.  The sand will also be available at the Walthall.  The candles, bags, and sand are considered a “candle set."  The “candle sets” may be purchased for $5 per dozen.  

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After you get your “candle sets” home now you are ready for the next step. Prepare the bags by turning down the top of the bag like a cuff. Fold the bags down on the inside or outside about 2 inches.  Most people do their bag preparation the morning of candle lighting, or if they have several dozen, they do it the night before.

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The next step is to place a cup of sand in the bottom of the bag. Some folks prefer to fill the bags with a cup of sand and then place the candle in the bag as they walk along the sidewalk. Others prefer to fill their bags with sand in the backyard and then bring the bags around in a wagon or wheel barrow. If you have a crew of folks you can approach it assembly line style. Someone places the bag, another fills it with sand and the next one places the candle in the sand. You will discover what works best for you.

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The next step is to light the candles by 5:00 PM on Saturday (about dusk). A long cardboard tube is handy for blowing out candles (a wrapping paper tube) just after 9:00 PM on Saturday night.  On Sunday night, relight the candles at dusk and then just let them burn out as they will.  Those long hand-held safety lighters seem to work well for lighting the candles in the bags.

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Weather is always an unknown factor.  WE ONLY CANCEL IF IT IS A TOTAL RAIN OUT.  If it is POURING rain or VERY windy on the first night most people save them until the second night. Candles will burn in a mist or light rain if it isn’t too windy.

Everything else goes on according to schedule regardless of weather.

Downtown Crawfish Jam

The Downtown Crawfish Jam takes place on a Saturday each April.DCJ is one of several fun neighborhood events hosted by the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood throughout the year and serves as their largest fundraiser for the Walthall Foundation.

 

Walthall Park located in the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood in Downtown Hattiesburg. This, pay-one-price music festival features an exciting mix of musical acts in addition to all-you-can-eat: crawfish, burger, hot dogs, Coke products and cold beer (Yes, it is all you can eat - but only in the park!)
 

No pets, coolers, tents or carry food is allowed. 
 

Find us on Facebook for ticket sale information, or visit the Downtown Crawfish Jam website.

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Annual Night Out Against Crime

Annual Night Out Against Crime is a Nation wide event that the City takes part in each August. Our neighborhood participates by hosting a neighborhood event on the first Tuesday in August.   Our Night Out Against Crime takes place on the Walthall Grounds beginning around 6 p.m.  Neighbors are invited to come out and join us for hotdogs and burgers, meet your neighbors, city officials, members or the Police and Fire Departments.
 

Annual Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner

Every year in November the Neighborhood Association hosts a Neighborhood wide Pot Luck Dinner for Thanksgiving on the second Sunday in November.

HHNA provides the turkeys and hams and asks the residents to provide the rest. This is a great social event for the neighborhood and serves to bring neighbors together.

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WHAT TO BRING

Vegetable or Dressing:  Walnut, Southern, Rebecca, River Avenue, Hall, W Laurel or Williams.

Dessert Items:  Dabbs, Roni,  Elizabeth, Court, Bay, East Laurel or Short Bay
 

Turkeys and Hams will be provided by the Neighborhood Association along with water, iced tea and hot dogs for the kids.

Please feel free to bring your own wine or drink of choice.  Be sure to bring your neighbor!