POLSON — Another Friday night has come and gone and with it, another opportunity to be out and about on Main Street in Polson. Last Friday, as with every Friday this December, participating merchants in the Polson Business Community were open late for business. This was the fifth year for the Downtown Polson’s Historic Living Windows event, a holiday tradition meant to encourage local shopping and to spread holiday cheer.

“It’s a good way to get people out, walk around and see what downtown has to offer,” Jackie Cripe, PBC member and owner of Jackie M’s Footwear, said.

Shop windows were cleared out and set as stages for local volunteers to fill with holiday-themed historical traditions. Polson Boy Scout Troop 1947 set up camp in the window display of Harbor Light Furniture. Their theme was “100 years of Scouting, Then and Now.” A group of Girl Scouts in their holiday dresses helped to decorate a Christmas tree at Terrace Flower, Wine and Gifts. At Mission Mountain Natural Foods, children decorated a tree too, but this one wore only natural, home-made ornaments and strings of popcorn.

Local church youth groups provided entertainment and exhibition. The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church displayed a live Nativity scene while a group from New Life Christian Center invited passersby to “chime in” and play Christmas carols with hand bells. Even store owners were up for the fun, and stopping by the Sandpiper Art Gallery for some cookies and cider would have meant eluding the ghost of the haunted mining town.

The sweet smell of hot chili lured patrons into Page By Page Books’ depression-era soup kitchen where they were treated to the musical stylings of the Mission Valley Choral Ensemble who performed beautiful Christmas songs to a packed house.

For mother-daughter pair Elice DeLay and Theresa Jones, the Living Windows event is a “must see.”

“Every year we come out, get some coffee and walk around,” DeLay said. “It’s so neat.”

Cripe said the night was a true community event as even the museums contributed costumes and props for the participants to use.

And business is good, she added. “You might not see it that night, but sometimes when they’re out shopping with their family they’ll see something they like and come back for it later.”

Get out this Friday from 5-7 p.m. for the International Christmas Stroll on Main Street in Polson.