Downtown Fulton is going to look a lot like Christmas Friday night for the annual Holiday Open House.
Starting off with the traditional holiday window unveiling at 5 p.m., event organizer Jenny Wiles with the Brick District Association, said the open house will be in keeping with previous years.
Features will include extended shopping hours - until 8 p.m. - at downtown businesses with snacks and holiday specials, the Fulton Sun's Candy Cane House with prizes donated by area businesses, kettle corn and hot chocolate, carriage rides from J&R Carriage, caroling by the Fulton High School Singers and appearances by Scrooge and Santa.
Visitors also can register throughout the day to win one of several $100 gift certificates for downtown shopping. The drawing will be at 8 p.m. in front of Center Court, where Wiles is manager. Registrants must be at least 18 years of age and present to win.
Wiles said the purpose of the open house is to draw shoppers downtown instead of to malls and shopping centers in Columbia or Jefferson City.
"It gives people a chance to get out and see what the stores downtown have to offer," Wiles said. "We just want everybody to come out and have a good time, see what everyone has to offer, and that holiday list knocked out."