Historic Milford's ‘Holiday Shopping Festival'

Forty merchants offer late hours on three December weekends MILFORD - The Milford Business Council, a committee of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, and Pike County Arts & Crafts, is sponsoring the “Historic Milford Holiday Shopping Festival” over the first three weekends in December. In addition to late hours, festive stores, and community events, the owners of 40 shops and galleries will further welcome gift-buyers with a directory/locator map and products guide. Late hours are Fridays until six, Saturdays to eight, and with some exceptions, Sundays to six. Look for entryway posters with identifying holiday tree icons. Milford’s gift and specialty shops, and galleries, make up a wide array of product sources for the holiday shopper, from formal art, antiques, and furnishings to country crafts and collectibles, from fine and custom jewelry to stylish and casual apparel, from smart and elegant home and personal accessories to gourmet and natural edibles, from perfect toys for kids and pets to fun, everyday stocking stuffers. For personal and family participation, Milford offers a number of seasonal events each weekend, which will be put into an available calendar. Highlighting the first weekend, Dec. 1 to 3, there is’ the Milford Business Council’s Festival Of Lights, at the Community House, on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. and the three performances of Joe Plummer’s “A Christmas Carol” at Grey Towers. Throughout the weekend the Pike County Arts & Crafts’ Holiday Sale continues at Borough Hall on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Also on Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, The Columns, home of the Pike County Historical Society and ‘The Lincoln Flag’, is planning half-hour horse-drawn carriage rides through town from 2 p.m. on each Saturday (weather permitting). The cost $20 per person. Call for reservations, at 570-296-8126. Each December most of Milford’s trees along Broad and Harford streets glisten with strings of lights, thanks to the local Lions Club. The club also prepares the star on The Knob for lighting and the holiday tree at the Community House. It all gets lighted at about 6 p.m. at the Festival Of Lights on Sunday. This year, for the first time, Broad Street is graced with 55 pedestrian lights stretching over 5 blocks, thanks to the Milford Enhancement Committee. The lights run beside bluestone sidewalks, grass verges, and many new street trees. At the four highway entrances to Milford are pocket retail areas, which are also part of the Shopping Festival: Apple Valley Village, on U.S. Route 6; Lower East Harford Street, near Belle Rive and the Kennedy Triangle; Upper Broad Street (across from The Columns; and The Upper Mill/Old Lumberyard, state Route 2001 and Seventh Street. For more information, call Lee Ann at the Chamber office, 209 East Harford Street, 570-296-8700.