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WVU Tech and the City of Montgomery to Celebrate the Holiday Season

WVU Tech and the City of Montgomery are once again partnering to bring in the holiday season with special festivities on Friday, December 6. The celebration will include the annual city holiday parade at 7:00 pm and conclude with the fifth annual WVU Tech Light Up Old Main event at 8:00 p.m. All of the events are free and open to the entire Tech campus and the greater Montgomery community.

The City of Montgomery will be hosting Santa at City Hall for pictures from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. WVU Tech is sponsoring a parade watch party in the David S. Long Alumni House beginning at 6:30 pm. The City’s annual parade will begin at 7:00 pm and run along Third Avenue. The WVU Tech Light Up Old Main celebration will begin at 8:00 pm.

Montgomery Mayor James Higgins, Jr. said, “Our annual Christmas Parade is an event that many children and ‘children at heart’ look forward to. We love the participation of everyone that enjoys the Season and joins us in this celebration.” WVU Tech CEO Carolyn Long added, “This family-friendly event has quickly become a beloved tradition on the WVU Tech campus and in our community.”

The University’s Light Up Old Main event will feature the official lighting of Old Main, as well as many other holiday traditions such as hot cocoa, s’mores, cookie decorating, and pictures with Santa and Elf Monty in the Tech Center Ballroom. In addition, Tech will be hosting a coffeehouse highlighting talents from across the University.

The Light Up Old Main event also features a gingerbread house competition with entries on display in the Tech Ballroom. The judging panel will include individuals from on and off campus. Official results will be announced at the event. A “Peoples’ Choice” category will also be open for the general public’s feedback.

WVU Tech students will be using the event as a way to give back to the local community. The University’s Alpha Sigma Tau (AST) sorority will once again be partnering with the United States Marine Corps to collect donations for the Toys for Tots drive. New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off in one of the collection bins on campus or brought to the Light Up Old Main festivities. This year’s toy donations will be given out to families in Fayette County. In addition, the campus community will be presenting a check to the Charleston Area Medical Association (CAMC) Foundation from funds that were raised during the breast cancer awareness drive this past fall.

“I helped out with the toy drive at Light Up Old Main last year for Alpha Sigma Tau. It’s a great event because it gets us all in the holiday spirit and helps make campus more of a home,” said sophomore criminal justice major Tori Bragg. AST President and senior chemical engineering major Lindsay McDowall added, “Last year we collected over $300 in toys. We hope to collect even more this year.”