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NATCHEZ — The holiday shopping season kicks off in earnest on Sunday in Downtown Natchez as the Downtown Natchez Alliance presents its second annual holiday open house, an event called Holiday Host and Toast.

The event begins at noon and continues until 4 p.m. Sunday, said Mickey Howley, executive director of DNA.

“All of the participating merchants will have specials in their stores and will be serving drinks, cookies, snacks and the like,” he said. “It’s a collective open house to say, ‘Hey, we are open for business for the holiday season. Please buy locally.’ ”

Howley said last year’s event was considered a “pretty big success. People really turned out and shopped downtown. Even people who normally aren’t open on Sundays will be open this Sunday.”

He said this weekend is considered the second biggest weekend of the year in Natchez after the Natchez Balloon Festival Weekend.

The always-sold-out Angels on the Bluff begins Thursday and continues Friday and Saturday nights.

Also, Allumer Natchez, a thematically curated light based art exhibition and festival, moves to downtown Natchez Friday and Saturday nights. Allumer Natchez begins at dusk each evening and continues to 10 p.m., illuminating Main Street, Franklin Street and Memorial Park. Suitable for the whole family, Allumer Natchez is free and open to the public.

However, Howley said the Holiday Open House Sunday welcomes tourists who are still in town, but it’s an event for Miss-Lou residents.

“We (DNA staffers and volunteers) are going to be working the street corner at Commerce and Main, giving out of map showing the locations of participating merchants and directing people who are walking around downtown,” he said.

Merchants participating in the Holiday Host and Toast on Sunday include:

On Main Street

Arts Natchez

Biscuits & Blues

Butter Cakery

The Painted Petal

A Gallerie

Olivina Boutique

One of a Kind

Darby’s

Murray’s Market on Main

Murray Land & Homes

Rise’n Shine Studio

Mile 363 Men’s Apparel

Rolling River Reloaded

Soiree’ Boutique

On Commerce Street

Arts District Studio

The Shops At Kress

Natchez Mercantile at Consign & Design

On Franklin Street

Natchez Coffee Company

Hal Garner at Nest

My Shoe Kloset

Brakenridge Furniture

Lower Lodge Antiques

Mother’s Natchez

Jack & Jill Children’s Clothing and Toys

Kaelor & Co

Steampunk/Papi y Papi

Moreton’s Flowerland & Gifts

Franklin Street Relics

Natchez Olive Market

Under the Hill

Silver Street Gallery & Gifts

Broadway & Canal Streets

Wardo’s

Pig Out Inn BBQ

The Little Easy

Smoot’s Grocery Blues Lounge