Shelbyville businesses are planning a variety of activities to get residents and visitors in the spirit of the Hometown Holidays.

Hometown Holidays begins this weekend with the opening of the Festival of Lights Friday at 5 p.m. in Forest Park. Participating merchants will be open until 7 p.m.

Main Street Quilt Company and West Side Floral will host open houses all day November 20 and 21.

Santa Claus comes to town on Saturday, November 21, and will be in the downtown mini-park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free pictures with Santa are offered during that time by Lisa Jacoby Photography and sponsored by the Greater Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce. Pictures may be picked up Wednesday, November 25, at the Chamber office, 124 N. Morgan, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Santa will also be in his house November 28, December 5, December 12 and December 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. He will visit businesses from 2 to 4 p.m. on December 5, 12, and 19.

The Shelbyville Merchants Association will sponsor a cookie walk and Santa specials on November 21. Look for the cookie and Santa posters in the windows of participating merchants.

The Festival of Lights Soup Supper will be held at the Senior Center in Forest Park beginning at 5 p.m. The supper includes corn chowder with chicken, beef vegetable soup, chili, and potato soup. Sandwiches and desserts, as well as a children’s menu with hot dog, are also offered. Cost is $7 per adult and $3.50 per child.

A Santa Shoot sponsored by the Shelby Humane Society offers a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa at his house in the mini-park from 6-8 p.m. on November 21. Other shoots are offered on December 4 from 2 to 5 p.m. and December 12 from 3 to 6 p.m.

From November 27 through December 17 the “Build a Mountain of Love” program will collect non-perishable foods for the C.E.F.S and First United Methodist Church food pantries.

Items for the collection may be taken to Inside Computer Solutions, 119 E. Main Street, where the public can watch the mountain grow.

“The public is asked to donate. For each item donated, donors will receive a raffle ticket which will be put into a drawing for one of three $100 prizes which can be spent at participating merchants,” said Shelbyville Merchants Association spokesperson Elma Rincker.

The drawing will be held December 17 at Inside Computer Solutions at 6 p.m. You must be present to win.

Merchants are asked to donate money toward the prizes and any extra money will be donated to the Angel of Love program, according to Rincker.

From December 1 through December 18 Christmas houses will be displayed at various businesses with gingerbread posters and the public can vote for their favorite.

“The decorated Christmas houses are made by grade schoolers,” Rincker said. “They don’t have to be made of gingerbread. They can be made with crackers.”