By JENNIFER MAIER / Community Columnist

December is just around the corner, but the city of Columbiana has been hard at work all year to make certain the upcoming schedule of holiday events offers something for everyone.

Kicking off the holiday season will be the annual Holiday Tour of Homes on Dec. 2.  The theme this year will be “It’s A Wonderful Tour,” and the lineup of participating homes and businesses will be something you don’t want to miss.  Tickets for the tour are $15 and will be available for purchase closer to the time of the event at these three Columbiana retailers:  Busy Hands, Joyce’s Old Country Store and Main Street Florist.  The tour time has changed from previous years and will now start at 10:30 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.

Tickets will be $20 at the door, so buy early and save some money.

The home of Evan and Linda Major as well the home of Shane Armstrong will be on the tour.  Joyce’s Old Country Store and the Columbiana Bed and Breakfast will also open their doors for the event.  There will also be two venues that will be featured:  Sterling Castle, located just a short drive away in Shelby, and Oak Island, located in Wilsonville on Lay Lake.

Miss Shelby County Charity Bowden will be on hand at Oak Island to greet visitors.  Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen Katie Gray will be at the home of Evan and Linda Major.

Adding to the charm of the tour will be the Columbiana Trolley, which will be available to ride to the homes and businesses in downtown Columbiana.  Pick-up and drop-off will be behind the Columbiana Senior Center located on Mildred Street.

The Tour of Homes is organized by the Columbiana Beautification Board and proceeds go toward improvement projects throughout Columbiana.

On Dec. 7 will be the Columbiana Christmas Parade on Main Street.  The parade will feature vehicles of all types, each one decked out for the holidays.  Parade events will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the actual parade starting at 7 p.m.  Anyone interested in participating in the parade should call Ouida Mayfield at 669-7813.

Shelby Arts Council will have its Annual Artist Market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at their venue located at 104 Mildred St.  A variety of artists will have one-of-a-kind work for sale, and it’s a great opportunity to get a head start on your holiday gift buying.