Black Friday be damned — to me, the official kickoff of the vacation season is the annual arrival of Waffle Store on the Downtown Presbyterian Church at 154 Rep. John Lewis Means. (That’s the nook of Fifth Avenue and Church Avenue, if you happen to haven’t saved up with the road identify adjustments downtown.)
Held on the primary Thursday of December for greater than a century, Waffle Store is a fundraiser for the church’s Fish & Loaves meal ministry, the place parishioners present a free meal and necessities for anybody in want each Saturday morning. Their purpose this yr is to lift $15,000 for the trigger by ticket gross sales, that are $20 prematurely and $25 on the door.
What comes together with your ticket, you would possibly ask? A complete lot, I would reply.
So far as comestibles go, you’ll get water, spiced tea or Frothy Monkey espresso (Mayor Freddie O’Connell topped off my cup final yr), a waffle brunch with grits and a aspect dish. You may select from Hattie B’s scorching hen tenders (both scorching or not), Puckett’s nation bacon or turkey hash created from DPC’s authentic Waffle Store recipe, which was handed down on stone tablets by the generations. (Probably not, however it’s an important recipe!)
You may store at a charity bazaar for baked items, handmade crafts, clothes and different distinctive vacation present concepts. Musicians Les Kerr and Brent Stoker will maintain the temper jovial with choices of vacation music, and historian Jim Hoobler will lead excursions of the historic Egyptian revival sanctuary, an expertise price the entire value of admission. Dr. William Taylor will carry out a recital on the church organ and lead a Christmas carol sing-along.
And if the considered parking downtown will get you down, they’re providing free parking on the Nissan Stadium Lot R North. There are two entry gates on this lot — Victory Avenue and South First Avenue. Previous City Trolley is offering a complimentary shuttle to and from the stadium lot and DPC. A Waffle Store signal will point out the shuttle pickup spot.
It’s an exquisite option to kick off your vacation season earlier than the sheer commerciality of it overtakes us all. I’ll see you there!
