The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - When Allison Bond and Bruce Donohue lit up Waitsburg's Main Street with paper bag luminaries last November, they didn't know their act of thanks for their new com­munity would turn into an annual event.

But, the lighting of the lu­minaries on Main Street will take place again this year on Nov. 19. The display reaches back to the ancient Hispanic tradition of luminaria as a gesture of reciprocal kind­ness to the entire community.

"We're just pleased that everybody enjoyed," Bond said of last year's display.

This year, Bond and Dono­hue are teaming up with the Town Hall Association and Waitsburg Commercial Club President Joy Smith to make the event even bigger.

Smith said the luminaries will be lit on the same night as the Waitsburg Town Hall Annual Meeting. The meet­ing is informal and is a way for the people in charge of Town Hall to show it off to the community and spend time with residents. For the meeting, Town Hall will be open and Smith said she hopes other businesses have their doors open too.

Bond, who now runs Cop­pei Coffee Co. on Main Street, will be open to warm patrons' bellies with coffee and she hopes to also have some live entertainment.

In Town Hall, there will be entertainment, cookies, cider and coffee.

And just like last year, about 600 to 800 luminaries will be lit up and down Main Street from dusk to 9 p.m. No luminaries will be placed by the park this year.

"I think it's a great way to kick off the holidays," Smith said.

She added that the lumi­nary event is a great tradition to continue because it's fairly simple to organize and the community loves it. Bond said she hopes to get some high school students to help light the luminaries again this year.

"My intent is to keep it go­ing," Smith added.

Bond is happy that the city will be able to enjoy the lumi­naries again because she has many left over from last year.

Information about all that will take place that evening is being updated on the city of Waitsburg website, www.cityofwaitsburg.com, and on the Waitsburg Commercial Club's facebook page, Smith said.

For this reprise of last year's event, Bond said it will be "a fun time for everybody to come out."

She hopes that in the fu­ture to also include a small bonfire at the north end of town for residents to keep warm in the chilly night air.

But the best part about the future of the event is the com­munity support for it.

"I think it's excellent," Bond said. "There's been a lot of support. I think it will become an annual event. We hope it will grow."