Andersonville merchants hoping to lure in a big batch of the season's shoppers are preparing to stay up late Friday.

That's the start of the neighborhood's fifth annual "Late Night Andersonville," an event Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ellen Shepard says was designed "as a way to make holiday shopping fun."

The area's businesses, she said ,"get great support from the community. This is a way to give back."

From 6-10 p.m. Friday, a variety of area merchants and restaurants along Clark Street will offer special promotions and discounts.

Jason Cox, the chamber's associate director, says organizers hope the extended hours will draw shoppers away from the malls and back into their own neighborhood.

"It's fun for stores that usually close at 6 or 7 p.m. to  stay open until 10. I've gone from doing my shopping at the mall to online to doing everything in the neighborhood."

Musical acts are also planned, from the Sweet Adeline carolers to the Lakeside Pride Freedom Band.

Some merchants, including City Olive at 5408 N. Clark, Painted Light Photos and Framing at 1742 W. Balmoral and On the Rocks at 5709 N. Clark, will  offer live music inside their stores.

A children's preview performance of "Once on a Housetop" by the Dream Big Performing Arts Workshop is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Sweet Occasions ice cream shop at 5306 N. Clark.

This year's event will also include the launch of a new environmental effort for the neighborhood, which was named one of the "top 10 eco-friendly" neighborhoods in the January/February edition of Natural Home Magazine.

The Chamber of Commerce has designed a black cloth shopping bag with "This is not a plastic bag" written in Swedish. Twenty businesses will sell them on Late Night for $15 apiece.

The bag program will continue throughout the year with prizes for using the bag at local stores. A "Green Wrapping Bash" at 5347 N. Clark is also part of the evening's environmental push.  Shoppers can bring their holiday gifts and wrap them in various papers otherwise destined for the landfill. This free event will be repeated Dec. 13.

Special events continue throughout the weekend with the beginning of "Julmarknad" on Saturday.

This Christmas market is hosted by the Swedish American Museum at 5211 N. Clark. Admission is $2 dollars for an event that includes Swedish music performances, visits from Santa, a St. Lucia procession and holiday story reading.

Swedish handicrafts and baked goods will also be offered.

Nearby, Sunburst Flowers and Gifts at 5356 N. Ashland will offer flower arranging tips, Marguerite Gardens at 5059 N. Clark will teach bow and wreath making and The Wooden Spoon at 5047 N. Clark will offer a children's cookie decorating lesson. In Fine Spirits at 5418 N. Clark will host a wine tasting for adults.

Sunday's lineup includes Swedish folk dancers at the museum and a "write a letter to Santa" party at The Runner's Edge at 5243 N. Clark.

 

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