With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Powell is kicking off the holiday season this week with Sample the Season.

Local businesses will be open after hours Thursday evening for the annual event. From 5-7 p.m., folks can go from shop to shop and enjoy food and drinks while also perusing various holiday specials.

“We’re just encouraging a nice, lovely community event with some shopping,” said Rebekah Burns, visitors center coordinator with the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce.

For the first time, the chamber is providing a bag with a Sample the Season map, at no cost to the businesses or customers. Shoppers can pick up a bag outside Plaza Diane in downtown Powell on Thursday evening.

Organizers decided to switch Sample the Season to a Thursday this year (instead of a having it on a Friday). That’s intended to include families with older children who participate in sports and may be out of town.

“The modern busy family has so many things going on — a lot of times they either get out of town on the weekends, or that’s their designated family time,” Burns said. “For an in-town event, it seems to make more sense to do it on Thursday, so we’re hoping we’ll have better participation.”

For a list of the Powell businesses participating in Sample the Season, see Pages 10-11 in today’s paper. The holiday event isn’t limited to downtown, as businesses beyond downtown also are participating.

Homesteader Museum will welcome visitors during Sample the Season, and is hosting a reception for the Frannie/Deaver Homesteading Centennial Exhibit from 4-7 p.m.

The next few weeks will be filled with holiday events in Powell.

Santa is scheduled to arrive via helicopter on Friday, Nov. 24. Santa’s Workshop will follow from 10 a.m. to noon at The Commons in downtown Powell.

Country Christmas will be Dec. 1-3 with the theme “There’s No Place like Home for the Holidays.” The Country Christmas Gift Show will be held on Dec. 1-2, and the Lighted Parade will fill downtown Powell on the evening of Dec. 2. The Twilight Tour of Homes also takes place on the night of Dec. 2, and the annual Tour of Homes follows on Dec. 3.

For more information about Country Christmas, contact the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce at 754-3494.